The First Hollywood

THE FIRST HOLLYWOOD by Shawn C. Bean reveals one of show business’s best-kept secrets: that it was the humble cattle town of Jacksonville, Florida, not glitzy Hollywood, California, that served as America’s first filmmaking capital in the early 20th century. Patrick D. Smith, Pulitzer Prime-nominated author and Florida Artist Hall of Famer, says that “Although non-fiction, at times THE FIRST HOLLYWOOD reads like a fast-paced novel… a fascinating read.” 

To read an excerpt from THE FIRST HOLLYWOOD, click here.

To see some images from the 2008/2009 book tour, click here.

To see some historic images from Jacksonville’s filmmaking heyday, click here.

To read the controversial lost chapter (cut during the book’s final stage of production), click here. 

To purchase THE FIRST HOLLYWOOD, click here.