Sit back and enjoy this episode of LV! True Hollywood Story — the tale of when Oscar winner Donna Reed got a call from her old high school chemistry teacher (and a Manhattan Project scientist) in Denison, Iowa, asking if she’d help him get a movie made about the horrors of the atomic bomb in the wake of WWII. Reed agreed, but MGM and the Truman administration had different ideas.
Also in this issue: The rise of Quad Cities-raised conspiracy theorist Kari Lake; the UI Translation Workshop turns 60; Harry’s Bar & Grill is a new business with deep Iowa City roots; Des Moines’ Monsterama Arcade & Pizzeria puts Chuck E. Cheese to shame; the minds behind a viral TikTok musical are now spinning the Spider-Verse; and Dream Chambers presents a sonic reimagining of a 100-year-old silent film. Plus: Book recommendations for spooky season, a history of Iowa’s movie industry, and more!
