The American Way

In The American Way: A True Story of Nazi Escape, Superman, and Marilyn Monroe, authors Helene Stapinski and Bonnie Siegler tell a fascinating story intertwined with old Hollywood.

In this book, the publisher of DC Comics rescues a family fleeing the Nazis, and eventually crossing paths with Hollywood elites while building a new life in America. According to Seigler, her grandfather witnessed Monroe filming her iconic scene for The Seven Year Itch (1955) and recorded it on his home movie camera, capturing the only surviving candid footage of Monroe from that shoot. This prompted Siegler to delve into her grandfather’s story.

The tales of Jules Schulback and Harry Donenfield are woven together in this intriguing book that not only documents an interesting personal history but also examines important historical moments alongside Golden Age Hollywood.


The American Way: A True Story of Nazi Escape, Superman, and Marilyn Monroe is available for purchase via Simon & Schuster.

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About Annette Bochenek

Dr. Annette Bochenek of Chicago, Illinois, is an avid scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the Hometowns to Hollywood blog, in which she writes about her trips exploring the legacies and hometowns of Golden Age stars. Annette also hosts the “Hometowns to Hollywood” film series throughout the Chicago area. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is the president of TCM Backlot’s Chicago chapter. In addition to writing for TCM Backlot, she also writes for Classic Movie Hub, Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, and Chicago Art Deco Society Magazine.
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