TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................ ...... iii

LIST OF FIGURES ...................................... vi

ABSTRACT ..................................................... vii

CHAPTER

1 "LIKE WRITING HISTORY WITH LIGHTNING": AN INTRODUCTION ...........1

 A H ollyw ood B beginning .................................................................................
 The Cinephiliac Turn ............ .. .... .................. ......................10
 Cinephiliac H history ................... ........... .. ........ ................... ....25
 N otes ...................................... ........................... ........................ 35

2 SHOW STOPPERS: THE CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH CHIFFONS ................38

 A Funny Thing H happens ....................................................... 38
 "Two Unlikely Worlds Are Suddenly Joined" .................... .................. ....44
 Refus[e]ing History ......................................... ...... ..... ...52
 Episodes in Chiffon ................... ....... .................. 58
 "Hey, What's the Big Idea Anyway?" .......... .......................... 74
 N otes .................. .......... .............................................. ........ 76

3 LOOSE ENDS: THE STUFF THAT MOVIES ARE MADE OF .............................80

 A Telephone-Bell Rings in Darkness ...................................... ............... 80
 "W hat W as the Nickel for?" .................... .............................85
 On a W walking Tour of Hollywood................................ ............ ..... ...96
 Trailing The Maltese Falcon ............................................ 101
 "Who Ever Heard of a Wrong Number?"............ .... ...............120
 Notes .......................... .. ...... ..... .......... 122

4 SIGNATURE CRIMES: THE STRANGE CASE OF THE LOST SCENES (AND
 THE STRANGER CASE OF THE MISSING AUTEUR) ......................................128

 Whodunit? .................... ......... ....... .......... .. 128
 In the Name of the Author ....................... ......... ... ................134