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SassMouthDamesQueens of Woman's Pictures 1929-59 Original radio Author: Sass Mouth Dames
Queens of Woman's Pictures 1929-59 Original radio plays set in the 1930s Language: en Genres: TV & Film Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Ep 154: Lillian Burns, The Most Powerful Woman in Hollywood
Wednesday, 17 December, 2025
Before the Stanislavski 'Method' overtook Hollywood in the 1950s, each studio had their own in-house drama coach to develop talent. The drama coaches were women: Phyllis Loughton Seaton (Paramount), Lela Rogers (RKO), Josephine Hutchinson (Columbia), Helena Sorrell (20th Century Fox), Sophie Rosenstein (Warner Bros.), and Anita Colby was 'feminine director' for Selznick Studio. But the most influential drama coach of all was Lillian Burns. Miss Burns established the drama school in Republic Pictures in 1935. She then did the same for MGM in 1936. She eventually left Metro to work as Harry Cohn's right hand in Columbia. She was a star maker who inspired loyalty among Lana Turner, Donna Reed, Janet Leigh, and Debbie Reynolds that shaped the century of American acting.
