Author (with Danny Peary), I Loved Movies, But…
This week on “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Ira sits down with acclaimed film historian, biographer, and screenwriter Joseph McBride, co-author (with Danny Peary) of the new memoir I Loved Movies, But….
In this wide-ranging conversation, Joe shares how the book emerged from a long-running series of interviews, why he brought in his old friend and prolific writer Danny Peary, and how his four overlapping careers—journalist, author, screenwriter, and film professor—shaped his life and work.
Joe also opens up about his formative years, the challenges of childhood, and the difficulties of navigating Hollywood as a screenwriter. He reflects on the personal insights gained while writing the book, including seeing his life in a new perspective and discussing being on the autism spectrum.
He talks about meeting Orson Welles (as the legendary director learned Joe wrote notes on his own wrist!), encountering his three favorite directors on his very first trip to Hollywood, and the guiding forces behind his career: “a rage for truth,” his volunteer work for John F. Kennedy, and his commitment to understanding the people who shaped American culture.
Joe also reveals the three professional achievements he’s most proud of—his Frank Capra biography, his book on Kennedy, and his critical studies of film directors—along with a few “stupid mistakes” he made along the way. And yes, he shares what Orson Welles really thought of actors.
Joseph McBride is a film historian, biographer, and screenwriter whose books on directors such as John Ford, Frank Capra, and Steven Spielberg have made him one of the foremost chroniclers of Hollywood cinema. A former journalist and reviewer for Daily Variety and co-writer of “Rock ’n’ Roll High School,” he is Professor Emeritus of the School of Cinema at San Francisco State University.