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11 Most Dangerous Drunks in Old Hollywood | Dark Hollywood

OldHush

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Old Hollywood drunks were not just party legends—they were car crashes, fights, arrests, broken marriages, and lives destroyed by alcohol. This Dark Hollywood story follows eleven Old Hollywood drunks whose drinking became dangerous: George C. Scott, Jack Pickford, Robert Walker, Mayo Methot, Lawrence Tierney, Robert Mitchum, Broderick Crawford, William Holden, W. C. Fields, Buster Keaton, and Gail Russell. Old Hollywood drunks created chaos off screen, Old Hollywood drunks damaged families, and Old Hollywood drunks left warnings Hollywood tried to hide.
00:00 Intro
00:28 George C. Scott
02:20 Jack Pickford
04:05 Robert Walker
06:09 Mayo Methot
08:24 Lawrence Tierney
10:01 Robert Mitchum
11:56 Broderick Crawford
13:42 William Holden
15:24 W. C. Fields
17:17 Buster Keaton
19:03 Gail Russell
20:28 Outro
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This video is part of our ongoing Hollywood then and now series, exploring before and after transformations, celebrity scandals, and the industry drama that shaped fame.
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At OldHush, we examine the rise and fall of iconic figures — from Old Hollywood legends to modern celebrities — through carefully researched storytelling and visual comparisons.

Our content is created for educational and commentary purposes using publicly available information. We do not claim insider access, and all perspectives are presented respectfully in accordance with fair use principles.
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#OldHollywood #DarkHollywood #AlcoholAddiction

20 Comments

@hollywoodexposed-abc 3 months ago

Finding someone who didn't drink alcohol back then was truly difficult.

@WhenHollywoodTurned 3 months ago

This is the side of Old Hollywood that rarely makes it into the nostalgic documentaries. Behind the glamour were real people battling addiction, and too often the people around them paid the price. The saddest part isn't that these stars drank—it's the broken families, lost careers, violence, and lives cut short because no one treated alcoholism as the serious illness it is. Fame couldn't protect them from the consequences. A powerful reminder that talent and success mean very little if you lose control of yourself

@barbaratillman8552 4 months ago

How about you tell the entire truth? Jack Pickford was prescribed mercury for treatment of syphilis. Yes, his wife accidentally drank it but they both eventually died of syphilis at young ages

@donpietruk1517 4 months ago

I'm surprised you didn't cover Ava Gardner. Her drinking was legendary in old Hollywood. She could drink most men under the table. And her public fireworks while drunk, especially with Frank Sinatra, were all over the gossip columns in the day.

@MichaelEricClark 4 months ago

Old Hollywood was way darker behind the scenes than people realize.

@joeyvocals1 4 months ago

Very impressive video! Being born in July of 1999, I have heard of some of them. William Holden, Buster Keaton, George C. Scott, Robert Mitchum, Terrible endings! Alcohol abuse is a psychological disorder! Great show! Joey in Cleveland

@HollywoodVeil 4 months ago

The craziest part is how Hollywood kept protecting these stars while their addictions spiraled completely out of control behind closed doors.

@waltonwarrior7428 4 months ago

Of the actors mentioned by far away my favorite was William Holden. He made some great movies and it’s sad to think with everything he had going for him he could not control his drinking. I can still remember hearing about his death back in 1981 on the radio. It’s sad to think how many peoples lives have been destroyed by alcohol.

@Brent-q1w 2 months ago

You did not cross paths with a drunk George C Scott. I saw him shuffling across the Stephen J Cannel studio lot like a 100 year old man.

@ronaldstrange8981 4 months ago

Joseph Cotton is not Robert Walker. May 2026.

@harlow743 3 months ago

Lawrence Tierney was out of control.

@RoyEdwardBailey 4 months ago

If you think you have a problem...you do.I'm twenty five years sober from thirty two years of drunk. Life sober

@RichardScottCarter 4 months ago

Her headlights were too bright. 😎

@Quietus6 3 months ago

Robert Walker bio show images of actor Joseph Cotten!!!!

@evelyncunningham8169 3 months ago

I love it when the narrators can't even pronounce the actors names.

@OldHush Creator 4 months ago

Who was the worst drunk on this list?
And who did we miss? drop their name below.
We may use your pick in the next Dark Hollywood episode.

@Ginger-s1z 4 months ago

5:53 wtf is a morphine beetle ?

@graniteman62 4 months ago

When ur under contract to major studio, they own u, no say in the pictures u do etc plus ur at any beckon call any minute. Some go with it and others rebel drinking, drugs to try to maintain sanity even though ur making it worse. Have no sympathy for golden age stars. Its the depression going on, some make $500 to $2500 plus per week, they got nothing to complain about. Get on with it. People were on bread lines for christ sake. These actors etc in industry decided to destroy their careers, not saying studio system was great it wasn't and plenty of sexual harassment but for most part they made great livings.