"The shadow of Babylon had fallen over Hollywood, a serpent spell in crude cuneiform; scandal was waiting, just out of Billy Blitzer's camera range."
Page 3

"Overnight the obscure and somewhat disreputable movie performers found themselves propelled to adulation, fame and fortune."
Page 6

"The sedate, renowned hotel Carillon, on the Place de la Concorde, was a most unlikely setting for Hollywood's first scandal."
Page 15

"There might have been some hope of solving the enigma if the Paramount bigwigs had not swooped down on the dead man's house to cosmeticize the scene."
Page 35

"The 'improvement' of the movie's image entailed a bit of window dressing borrowed from the world of baseball."
Page 43

"Morals clauses would be inserted into all contracts to persuade the Golden People to shape up: male stars would henceforth be monks and women stars nuns."
Page 46

"Although public behavior was somewhat toned down, the movie people's parties...