Producers, screenwriters, gaffers, camera operators, key grips, soundmen, and scriptgirls - with a list of behind-the-scenes movie makers that reads like a Busby Berkeley roll call, Talking Pictures presents a lively, firsthand view of Hollywood from the bottom up.

The nearly forty interviews collected here chronicle the Golden Age of Hollywood, when major movie studios produced some of America's favorite films. By hearing firsthand about the machinations of Hollywood moguls like Louis B. Mayer and Darryl Zanuck, we learn how studios were run and how decisions about movies were made.

From lesser known players we see how informal Hollywood was, how easy it was to get a job, how crucial a role nepotism played, and how careers were open to craftsmen and con men alike. Seven years in the making, Talking Pictures is a unique behind-the-scenes look at the movies and the people who make them, and a tribute to the remarkable men and women responsible for captivating American audiences in a way that may never be seen again.