Who Are The Main Characters In The Times We Had: Life With William Randolph Hearst?

2026-01-06 02:08:24 297

3 Answers

Charlotte
Charlotte
2026-01-11 04:36:02
Reading 'The Times We Had' feels like flipping through a scrapbook of golden-age Hollywood, with Marion Davies as your mischievous tour guide. She’s the star here—not just as Hearst’s longtime companion but as a sharp observer of the era’s excesses. Hearst is almost a mythic presence, this guy who collected everything from art to newspapers to people. The supporting cast is wild: flappers, tycoons, even a cameo by young Orson Welles, who’d later parody Hearst in 'Citizen Kane.' But it’s Marion’s resilience that sticks with me—how she navigated being both adored and overshadowed.

There’s a scene where she describes Hearst’s infamous San Simeon parties, with giraffes roaming the grounds and guests like Clark Gable sneaking cocktails during Prohibition. The book’s full of these juicy details, but also quieter moments where Marion hints at the loneliness beneath the glitter. It’s less about Hearst’s biography and more about the spaces between history’s headlines.
Vivienne
Vivienne
2026-01-11 16:01:50
Marion Davies’ memoir is such a gem for anyone obsessed with early Hollywood or media history. The central duo—Davies and Hearst—are like a pre-code version of a power couple, full of drama and devotion. Hearst’s obsession with Marion is palpable (he literally built her a castle!), but she’s no passive muse. Her writing crackles with humor, especially when she pokes fun at Hearst’s eccentricities, like his habit of buying entire antique shops on impulse. Secondary characters like Louella Parsons, Hearst’s gossip columnist, add spice, showing how intertwined media and celebrity were even back then.

What I love is how unvarnished Marion feels. She admits to her own flaws—her stutter, her struggles with being typecast—while painting Hearst as both a dreamer and a dictator. It’s a love story, but also a cautionary tale about fame and fortune. After finishing it, I binge-watched her old films just to see the woman behind the words.
Piper
Piper
2026-01-12 01:53:18
The Times We Had: Life with William Randolph Hearst' is this fascinating deep dive into the whirlwind life of Marion Davies and her relationship with the media mogul William Randolph Hearst. Marion’s voice is so vivid in the memoir—she’s witty, self-deprecating, and surprisingly modern for her time. Hearst himself comes across as this larger-than-life figure, equal parts generous and controlling, with a passion for art, architecture, and, of course, power. Their dynamic is the heart of the book, but there’s also this colorful cast of side characters—Hollywood stars like Charlie Chaplin, political figures, and Hearst’s inner circle—who pop in and out, adding layers to the story.

What really struck me was how Marion doesn’t shy away from the complexities. She paints Hearst as a man of contradictions: a romantic who built her a castle but also someone who couldn’t fully let her shine as an actress because of his own insecurities. The book feels like eavesdropping on old Hollywood gossip, but with this bittersweet undertone about love and legacy. I couldn’t put it down.
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