Roddy McDowall: The Man Behind the Mask from How Green Was My Valley to Lassie to Planet of the Apes

Author Samuel Garza Bernstein returns to dig into his new book, Roddy McDowall: An Actor's Life, How Green Was My Valley to Lassie to Planet of the Apes, the first full biography of the legendary actor. Drawing on newly opened archives at Boston University, Samuel traces Roddy's path from child star to Hollywood institution, and unpacks the work that made him a household name across generations of film and television. Show Highlights: How Roddy McDowafll went from stepping off a refugee ship from England to starring in 20th Century Fox's biggest film of 1941, How Green Was My Valley, just six weeks later. The real story of Roddy's breakout in Lassie Come Home and his lifelong friendship with a nine-year-old Elizabeth Taylor on the MGM lot. Why Planet of the Apes became more than just a role for Roddy, including how he secretly coached fellow cast members to act through layers of ape prosthetics. What Samuel found in the newly accessible Boston University archive, decades of letters, photos, and private correspondence that had never been seen before. How Roddy's nearly 900 television credits took him everywhere from Fantasy Island and The Love Boat to a voice role in A Bug's Life. You're going to love my conversation with Samuel Garza Bernstein IMDB Website Roddy McDowall book  Instagram Follow Jeff Dwoskin (host): Jeff Dwoskin on Twitter The Jeff Dwoskin Show podcast on Twitter Podcast website Podcast on Instagram Subscribe to my Youtube channel Yes, the show used to be called Live from Detroit: The Jeff Dwoskin Show Ways to support the show: Buy me a coffee (support the show) Dashery/TeePublic Store: Classic Conversations merch and more! Love the books I talk about on the show? Here is my Amazon store to shop. SPONSOR: STAMPEDE SOCIAL Drive engagement from your social channels and podcast with Stampede Social's Instagram and Facebook DM automation! Visit https://stampede.social Also check out: Why Instagram + Stampede Social Is the Growth Strategy Podcasters Need in 2025 (and Beyond) Thanks for checking out Classic Conversations! Dive into pop culture nostalgia with comedian Jeff Dwoskin as he hosts the best TV and film interviews. Hear inspiring stories from actors, comedians, musicians, and pop culture icons about the road to success. Part comedy, part drama—always entertaining. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.