1268: The Premiere of Gone With the Wind

Summary

---

History Daily: The Premiere of Gone With the Wind

Episode 1268 | December 15, 2025
Host: Lindsay Graham

---

Episode Overview

This episode of History Daily revisits the tumultuous creation and historic premiere of Gone with the Wind — Hollywood’s iconic Civil War epic. Host Lindsay Graham dissects the drama and perseverance behind this legendary film, from the initial risky acquisition through a notoriously fraught production to the celebration and controversy surrounding its segregated Atlanta debut on December 15, 1939.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. David Selznick’s Gamble: Acquiring the Novel (06:25–08:17)

• Setting the Scene: In 1936, producer David O. Selznick, ever the risk-taker, is first introduced as discovering Margaret Mitchell’s debut novel while on vacation.
• High-Stakes Bet: Selznick’s willingness to pay a then-astronomical $50,000 for the film rights despite fierce competition and the novel’s daunting length.
  • “David's always been willing to take a gamble. Whether it's in a studio boardroom or down at the racetrack, David loves the rush he gets from a high stakes bet.” (07:17)

2. Script Struggles & Creative Chaos (08:17–11:59)

• Endless Drafts: Multiple writers, including F. Scott Fitzgerald and Pulitzer-winner Sidney Howard, unsuccessfully attempt to tame the thousand-page novel into a workable script.
• Producer’s Meddling: Selznick is known for his relentless involvement, demanding daily meetings and constant rewrites.
• Casting Obsessions: National mania erupts over who will play Scarlett O’Hara, with Selznick insisting he doesn’t want an established star and instead launches a South-wide talent search.
• Clark Gable Secured: Through a deal with his father-in-law at MGM (exchanging Gable and funds for distribution rights and profits), Selznick secures Hollywood’s biggest heartthrob, albeit at great cost.

3. Production Firestorm & Casting Vivien Leigh (01:09–04:21; 11:12–11:59)

• First Shot Filmed Before Scarlett Found: Out of desperation to please his financiers, Selznick begins filming the burning of Atlanta without a lead actress.
• Breakthrough: During this fiery shoot, his brother Myron appears on set with Laurence Olivier and his companion, Vivien Leigh—her “bright green eyes” illuminated by set flames.
  • “With a grin, Myron tells his brother to meet Vivien Leigh, the actress born to play Scarlett o’ Hara.” (03:02)
• Vivien Leigh Cast: Selznick, immediately convinced, offers her the role then and there.

4. Turbulent Shoot & Directorial Revolving Door (15:08–20:00)

• Script in Crisis: With work underway and no finished script, screenwriter Ben Hecht is brought in for a rewrite marathon, fueled by “amphetamines, scotch, and peanuts.”
• Multiple Directors: George Cukor is fired after three weeks (only 23 minutes shot); Victor Fleming is hired, later joined by a third director due to Fleming’s health collapse—leading to two directors who must share responsibility.
• Torturous Perfectionism:
  • Notable scene: Clark Gable is made to carry Vivien Leigh up stairs repeatedly, only for director Victor Fleming to tease, “He just wanted to see if Clark Gable could do it.” (18:54)
• Epic Scale & Budget:
  • 800 extras plus dummies for crowd scenes.
  • Final tally: 125 days of shooting, 3 directors, countless script versions, $4.25 million budget.
• Iconic Ending Created:
  • Selznick tweaks Rhett Butler's final line to the now-famous, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” (19:48)

5. Triumph, Controversy, and Legacy (22:41–25:40)

• Premiere in Segregated Atlanta (22:41): Hattie McDaniel, who played Mammy, listens to the radio coverage from home—banned from attending due to Jim Crow laws despite her crucial role.
• Racial Injustice at the Oscars:
  • McDaniel later becomes the first Black Oscar winner (Best Supporting Actress), but is segregated at the ceremony.
  • “Even at the ceremony, she’s treated as a second class citizen, placed at a segregated table away from the rest of her white castmates.” (24:30)
• Selective Memory: The episode reflects on how the film’s romanticized vision of the Old South “bear[s] little resemblance to the cruel reality” of slavery or the Confederacy.
• Evolving Reputations:
  • “Gone with the Wind will increasingly be regarded as a controversial masterpiece, and its place in film history will continue to be debated long after its segregated premiere in Georgia on December 15, 1939.” (25:21)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Selznick's Tenacity:
  • “After three years of planning, he's finally got the first shot, and it's a spectacular one.” (02:16)
• On Vivien Leigh's Discovery:
  • “…a beautiful woman wearing a long mink coat. The fires still burning on set dance in her bright green eyes.” (02:44)
• On Production Hell:
  • “The men have been up all night, fueled by amphetamines, scotch and peanuts in their desperate race to finish the script.” (15:17)
• On Legendary Scenes:
  • “He just wanted to see if Clark Gable could do it.” (As Victor Fleming after the infamous staircase scene; 19:33)
• On Hattie McDaniel’s Oscars Experience:
  • “But even at the ceremony, she's treated as a second class citizen, placed at a segregated table away from the rest of her white castmates.” (24:30)
• On the Film’s Enduring Debate:
  • “…Gone with the Wind will increasingly be regarded as a controversial masterpiece, and its place in film history will continue to be debated…” (25:21)

---

Important Timestamps

• The Book’s Acquisition: 06:25–07:40
• Script and Casting Struggles: 08:17–11:59
• Filming Begins & Leigh Cast: 01:09–04:21; 11:12–11:59
• Ben Hecht’s Rewrite Marathon: 15:08–17:10
• Directors Swap & Iconic Scenes: 17:10–19:48
• Premiere & Aftermath: 22:41–25:40
• Reflection on Film’s Legacy: 24:30–25:21

---

Overall Tone & Style

Lindsay Graham delivers the story with:

• Dramatic Narrative: Filled with vivid imagery and cinematic flair, capturing the high-stakes world of 1930s Hollywood.
• Reflective & Candid: The host does not shy away from highlighting the darker realities behind the glamour—racism, exploitation, and the mythologizing of history.

---

Summary Takeaway

This episode reveals Gone with the Wind as much more than a film — it’s an emblem of Hollywood’s ambition, chaos, and evolving conscience. The story is one of relentless vision, personal cost, and cultural contradictions, brought to life in a way only History Daily can.

---

Transcript

[Rocket Money Advertiser]

Think about the last time you had to cancel a subscription. There was probably some waiting on hold, some guessing at your password, some mind numbing small talk, and maybe after all that, you still weren't able to cancel it. Good news, it doesn't have to be this way. Thanks to Rocket Money, Rocket Money tracks, manages and can cancel your subscriptions for you. When you connect your account, you'll see a complete picture of all of your recurring subscriptions all in one place. Rocket Money organizes your subscriptions by due date and notifies you when something is coming up, so you'll never be caught off guard when you get charged. If you see a subscription you want to cancel, Rocket Money simplifies the process. Instead of waiting on hold for an hour, you can cancel it right from the app. Rocket Money will even try to get you a refund for the money you spent on subscriptions you forgot about. Stop wasting time trying to cancel subscriptions the hard way. Make your life easier and go to RocketMoney.com cancel. That's RocketMoney.com cancel or download the app from the Apple app or Google Play stores.

[Lindsey Graham]

It's just before midnight on December 10, 1938. On a Hollywood backlot in Los Angeles, California. Studio executive David Selznick grips a megaphone and roars out orders across the set. He's sitting on top of a 30 foot observation tower overseeing the first shot of his new production, Gone with the Wind. David's been trying to get this movie off the ground for years, but even though he's finally about to start shooting, he still hasn't found his lead actress. No one in Hollywood quite fits the passionate green eyed southern belle, Scarlett o'. Hara. But under pressure from his millionaire backers, David has decided that he needs something in the can with or without his leading lady. So today, David plans to set fire to some old sets as a backdrop for one of the most dramatic sequences in the movie, the burning of Atlanta. Quiet on set. From the tower, David lifts his megaphone and barks out his final orders. Beside him is the film's director, George Cukor. And once David is happy with the preparations, he nods to George who shouts action. Flames race across the set. The heat is so intense that even up on his tower, David has to shield his face. Then, right on cue, a stunt driver races a horse drawn carriage through the blaze, dodging smoke and debris. Seven Technicolor cameras capture all the action before George shouts cut. And the flames begin to die down. David leaps to his feet and heads for the ladder. He's delighted after three years of planning, he's finally got the first shot, and it's a spectacular one. And reaching the bottom of the ladder, he hears a familiar voice congratulating him. It's his brother, Myron Selznick, a powerful Hollywood agent, and he hasn't come to set alone. With him is one of his clients, the young British actor Laurence Olivier. But David barely even notices him, because on Olivier's arm is a beautiful woman wearing a long mink coat. The fires still burning on set dance in her bright green eyes. With a grin, Myron tells his brother to meet Vivien Leigh, the actress born to play Scarlett o'. Hara. Convinced that fate has delivered to him Vivien Leigh just when he needed her the most, David Selznick immediately casts her in his film. Principal photography will begin a few weeks later, but the shoot will be beset by problems. Though David will stop at nothing to finish his epic masterpiece, eventually premiering Gone with the Wind in Atlanta, the very city he destroyed on film on December 15, 1939. A quick word before we get to the rest of the episode the first show of my live tour will be in Dallas, Texas, on March 6 at the Granada Theater. We'll be exploring the days that made America through storytelling and music. And they aren't the days you might think. Sure, everyone knows July 4, 1776. But there are many other days that are maybe even more influential. So. So come out to see me live in Dallas. For more information on tickets and upcoming dates, go to historydailylive.com that's historydailylive.com come see my Days that Made America tour live on stage. Go to historydailylive.com.

[Rocket Money Advertiser]

You really want to be better with your finances. You try to put money away in savings. You look for deals. You wrote out a budget once a long time ago. You yet you still overdraft from time to time. And you still have debt. The truth is, managing money is not easy. But Rocket Money can help. Rocket Money shows you exactly what you're spending every month. From there, the app helps you make a budget that meets your financial goals. The app even gives you real time alerts when you're about to go over your budget so you don't spend too much. With Rocket Money, you can also see all of your subscriptions at a glance and cancel the ones you don't want right from the app. Rocket Money can even try to get you a refund for some of the money you wasted. Plus, you can use the Smart Savings feature to start putting more money away. Rocket Money analyzes your accounts to determine the optimal time to stow away cash without going over your budget. Our members report that the Rocket Money app save them more than $700 a year. Getting better with money doesn't have to be a pipe dream. Rocket Money can make it a reality. Go to RocketMoney.com cancel or download the app from the Apple App or Google Play stores.

[VRBO Advertiser]

Save over $200 when you book weekly stays with VRBO this winter if you haven't seen your college besties since, well, college, you need a week to catch up in a snowy cabin. Take a week long vacation and save over $200. Book [e-mail] with stays under $250 a night. VRBO makes it easy to celebrate sweater weather. Book a cabin with leaf views or a home with a fire pit for nights with friends with stays under $250 a night. Find a home for your exact needs. Book [e-mail] Save over $200 when you book weekly stays with VRBox this winter if you need to work, why not work from a chalet? If you haven't seen your college besties since, well, college, you need a week to fully catch up in a snowy cabin. And if you have to stay in a remote place with your in laws, you should save over $200 a week. That's the least we can do. So you might as well start digging out the long johns because saving over $200 on a week long snowcation rental is in the cards. Book [e-mail].

[Lindsey Graham]

From noiser and airship I'm lindsey graham and this is history. Daily. History is made every day on this podcast. Every day we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is December 15, 1939, the premiere of Gone with the Wind. It's May 1936 in Honolulu, Hawaii, almost three years before production begins on Gone with the Wind, David Selznick lies on a deck chair, flicking through the synopsis of a novel. Although he's on vacation, the 34 year old studio executive is always on the lookout for properties he can spin into box office gold. And now his assistant has alerted him to an exciting new title. Written by newcomer Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind is set on the eve of the American Civil War. The book follows Scarlett o', Hara, a Southern belle fighting for love amid the upheaval of conflict. It's an exciting story and David can immediately see its big screen potential. But he's not alone in that the book is already the Talk of Hollywood and Margaret Mitchell's agent is demanding $50,000 for the adaptation rights. That's a monumental sum for an unknown author's debut novel. But David's always been willing to take a gamble. Whether it's in a studio boardroom or down at the racetrack. David loves the rush he gets from a high stakes bet. So on July 6, 1936, David pays a small fortune to secure the movie rights to Gone with the Wind. Mitchell's novel is 1,000 pages long with dramatic set pieces and a large cast. So David knows that making the movie version won't be easy or cheap. His first move then is to enlist the help of an old collaborator, director George Cukor. George has directed five pictures for David before and is well known for his sensitive work with actresses in particular. That's an important consideration for David on a film with a female lead. But they still need a writer to adapt the mammoth novel. So on George's recommendation, David approaches Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Sidney Howard in October 1936. Sidney agrees to take on the project, but on one that he can work alone from his Massachusetts farmhouse 3,000 miles away from Hollywood. Because producer David has a reputation in the industry as a meddler demanding daily meetings on every aspect of production. So Sidney wants to be as far away as possible. Reluctantly, David agrees, but progress is slow. It takes nearly six months for Sidney to complete a first draft. And when David finally gets his hands on it, he's baffled. The script is almost as long as the book itself. Annoyed, David recalls Sidney to Hollywood and confines him to a conference room, relentlessly pushing him to finish the script and incorporate a list of revisions. After six weeks, the next draft is finished and it's 15 pages longer than the first. At this point, David has had enough and he fires Sidney. Over the next few months, a host of other writers take a shot at the script, including the famous author, F. Scott Fitzgerald. But David is unhappy with every draft. Eager to push production forward, though, he turns his attention to casting. Because the novel is now a best selling sensation, the question of who will play Scarlett o' Hara has become something of a national obsession. David receives streams of letters imploring him to cast an established star like Katharine Hepburn or Bette Davis. But David doesn't want a big name for the role. Instead, he sends his assistant on a whistle stop tour of the American south on the hunt for an unknown. But if Scarlett o' Hara won't be played by a star, David knows he'll have to make up for that somewhere else in the cast. The Obvious candidate is Rhett Butler, Scarlett's dashing love interest. And David thinks he knows the perfect actor for the part, the heartthrob Clark Gable. Gable is currently under contract at MGM and is technically unable to work for another studio. But fortunately for David, MGM is run by his father in law. David approaches him and begins negotiations. But David's father in law is a shrewd businessman. He knows that Gone with the Wind doesn't have a workable script or a lead actress and that David is running short on cash. So he spies a business opportunity. He offers to loan David's production not only Clark Gable, but but also $1.25 million. David is delighted. But there is a catch. In exchange for Gable and the cash, MGM demands the lucrative worldwide distribution rights for Gone with the Wind as well as half of the film's profits for a period of seven years. It's a hard bargain, but David doesn't have much of a choice. And even with Clark Gable cast and a new influx of funds, David still needs his lead actress. But his assistant comes back from his tour of the south empty handed. And by late 1939, David is under intense pressure from his father in law to get production started. So he begins preliminary shooting for a pivotal action sequence where Rhett and Scarlett escape the burning city of Atlanta. But when shooting of the scene begins, David will get far more than he expected. His brother Myron will visit the set accompanied by a 25 year old British actress. And when David sees Vivien Leigh in the firelight of his burning set, he will know he has found his Scarlet o' Hara at last.

[Rocket Money Advertiser]

You really want to be better with your finances. You try to put money away in savings. You look for deals. You wrote out a budget once, a long time ago, yet you still overdraft from time to time. And you still have debt. The truth is, managing money is not easy. But Rocket Money can help. Rocket Money shows you exactly what you're spending every month. From there, the app helps you make a budget that meets your financial goals. The app even gives you real time alerts when you're about to go over your budget, so you don't spend too much. With Rocket Money, you can also see all of your subscriptions at a glance and cancel the ones you don't want right from the app. Rocket Money can even try to get you a refund for some of the money you wasted. Plus, you can use the Smart Savings feature to start putting more money away. Rocket Money analyzes your accounts to determine the optimal time to stow away cash without going over your budget, our members report that the Rocket Money app save them more than $700 a year. Getting better with money doesn't have to be a pipe dream. Rocket Money can make it a reality. Go to RocketMoney.com cancel or download the app from the Apple app or Google.

[VRBO Advertiser]

Play stores with stays under $250 a night, VRBO makes it easy to celebrate sweater weather. You could book a cabin stay with leaf views for days. Or a brownstone in a city where festivals are just a walk away. Or a lakeside home with a fire pit for cozy nights with friends. Or if you're not a sweater person, we can call it Corduroy weather. More flexible and with stays under $250 a night, you can book a home that suits your exact needs. Book [e-mail] hey y', all, it's Kelly Clarkson with Wayfair.

[Kelly Clarkson]

My favorite thing about the holidays? Decking out my whole house. And it's not a competition, but like if was, I would totally win the season with Wayfair. Giant outdoor inflatable Santa. Got it on Wayfair. Trees, lights and ornaments in every style and color. Yep, got those on Wayfair. Garland accent pillows, cozy throws, Nutcrackers. Wayfair, Wayfair, Wayfair. When it comes to hosting, Wayfair's got me covered there too. I got a brand new dining table set that fits the whole family, sheets and towels for extra guests, and even the cutest holiday bed sheets for the kiddos. I'll all thanks to Wayfair. And the best part? I got it all shipped fast and free. It's a Wayfair holiday miracle, y'.

[VRBO Advertiser]

All.

[Kelly Clarkson]

I'm not saying there's a champion of Christmas or anything, but if there was, it'd be the lady with the year round Christmas village who shops at Wayfair. That would be me for everything festive in just your style, all delivered with fast and free shipping. Visit Wayfair.com or download the Wayfair app to totally win the season. But again, it's not a competition. Wayfair Every lifestyle, every home.

[AM PM Interviewer]

What do you think makes the perfect snack?

[AM PM Interviewee]

Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Could you be more specific?

[AM PM Interviewee]

When it's cray venient. Okay, like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter, available right down the street at am, pm or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at am pm.

[AM PM Interviewer]

I'm seeing a pattern here.

[AM PM Interviewee]

Well, yeah, we're talking about what I.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Crave, which is anything from AM pm.

[AM PM Interviewee]

What more could you want?

[AM PM Advertiser]

Stop by AM PM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's Cravenience ampm. Too much good stuff.

[Lindsey Graham]

It's February 1939 in Los Angeles, California, two months after production began on Gone with the Wind. Producer David Selznick jumps around his Hollywood office acting out the final scenes of Margaret Mitchell's novel. Watching from a sofa is scriptwriter Ben Hecht, who frantically scribbles down notes. The men have been up all night, fueled by amphetamines, scotch and peanuts in their desperate race to finish the script of Gone with the Wind. Production on the film is already underway. But the early weeks of shooting have been difficult. And not just because they don't have a locked script. Director George Cukor shot just 23 minutes of film before David decided to it wasn't going to work. He fired George and brought in another director, Victor Fleming. But when Victor arrived at David's office, he took one look at the lengthy screenplay and demanded changes. Now, on Victor's advice, David has brought in scriptwriter Ben Hecht to rewrite the entire thing. But with production already underway, there's no time for Ben to even read the original novel. Instead, David and Victor act out the whole storyline for him with a strained Southern drawl. David plays the heroine, Scarlett o', Hara, while Victor channels the men characters. Finally, after five days locked in David's office, the three exhausted men emerge with a finished screenplay for Gone with the Wind. But if David hopes the production will now run more smoothly, he's soon disappointed. The film's epic scope stretches the budget to its breaking point and David's father in law refuses to inject any more cash into the project. So as David scrambles for new investors, the stress takes its toll. He gets stomach ulcers and his hair turns ghostly white. In the end, it takes a million dollar check from a wealthy fan of the novel to keep the cameras rolling. But even that doesn't change the production's fortunes. In April 1939, director Victor Fleming nearly drives off a Malibu cliff in his Cadillac. He goes on leave and David is forced to hire a third director to finish the movie. But Victor makes an unexpectedly rapid recovery and just two weeks later, he's back on set. But that only means the chaotic production now has two directors, with each insisting they're in charge. David reaches a compromise. There's so much left to film that he decides to keep both directors on the project. The most recent hire will handle smaller scenes, while Victor will tackle the more technically challenging ones. And David certainly wants Victor behind the lens for one of the biggest scenes in the film, where Scarlet walks through a vast crowd of wounded soldiers outside the Atlanta train station. On the day of the shoot, the production buses in 800 extras. But even that's not enough to match David's vision. So the crowds of extras are augmented with dummies dressed in Confederate uniforms. David figures that no one will notice the difference. And finished film. And it takes seven long takes to get the perfect shot. But it's not just on these big set pieces where the hunt for perfectionism slows production down. In one scene on the Plantation House set, Clark Gable must carry a kicking and screaming Vivien Leigh up a long flight of stairs. It's a pivotal moment in the story, and Victor orders his cast to repeat the scene again and again. After hours of filming, Gable is on the verge of collapse, but Victor asks for one more take. The exhausted Clark Gable reluctantly obliges, plodding up the red carpeted staircase with Lee in his arms. And then when Victor shouts cut, he turns to the crew with a smile and tells them he didn't need that take. He'd already gotten the perfect shot. He just wanted to see if Clark Gable could do it. The cast endures six grueling months of shooting in total. But finally, on July 1, 1939, the last day of principal photography arrives. The scene sees a tearful Scarlett o' Hara beg Rhett Butler not to leave her. But Vivien Leigh's tears on set aren't acting. The long shoot has worn her down, and she yearns to be in New York with Laurence Olivier. But David Selznick has one final touch to add before finishing the scene. Something about the rhythm of Clark Gable's last line doesn't work for him, so he tweaks it until he lands on the soon to be iconic phrase, frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn. With that production wraps. It's taken 125 days, three directors, countless scriptwriters, half a million feet of film and a near record $4.25 million. But it's done. David takes the footage to his editors, and after months of chaos, the tranquility of the editing room will be a welcome change of pace. And when David emerges, his masterpiece will be complete. And everyone in the world will finally have a chance to see Gone with the Wind for themselves.

[Rocket Money Advertiser]

Think about the last time you had to cancel a subscription. There was probably some waiting on hold, some guessing at your password, some mind numbing small talk, and maybe after all that, you still weren't able to cancel it. Good news, it doesn't have to be this way. Thanks to Rocket Money, Rocket Money tracks, manages and can cancel your subscriptions for you. When you connect your account, you'll see a complete picture of all of your recurring subscriptions all in one place. Rocket Money organizes your subscriptions by due date and notifies you when something is coming up, so you'll never be caught off guard when you get charged. If you see a subscription you want to cancel, Rocket Money simplifies the process. Instead of waiting on hold for an hour, you can cancel it right from the app. Rocket Money will even try to get you a refund for the money you spent on subscriptions you forgot about. Stop wasting time trying to cancel subscriptions the hard way. Make your life easier and go to RocketMoney.com cancel. That's RocketMoney.com cancel or download the app from the Apple app or Google Play.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Stores what do you think makes the perfect snack?

[AM PM Interviewee]

Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Could you be more specific when it's cravini?

[AM PM Interviewee]

Okay, like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter available right down the street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at AM pm.

[AM PM Interviewer]

I'm seeing a pattern here.

[AM PM Interviewee]

Well yeah, we're talking about what I.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Crave, which is anything from AM pm.

[AM PM Interviewee]

What more could you want?

[AM PM Advertiser]

Stop by AM PM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience. AM PM Too much good stuff. From taco night in Tulum to sushi in Tokyo, every bite is rewarding and pulse worthy with MX Gold's four times membership rewards points at restaurants worldwide. Wherever you dine, points are piling up. So bring your friends along for your next course. Because it's not all about the posts, it's about the company and the memories. How can Gold from Amex sweeten your next food moment? Learn [e-mail] Explore Gold terms and Points.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Cap Apply what do you think makes the perfect snack?

[AM PM Interviewee]

Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Could you be more specific when it's cravenient?

[AM PM Interviewee]

Okay, like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter available right down the street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at a.m. pM?

[AM PM Interviewer]

I'm seeing a pattern here.

[AM PM Interviewee]

Well yeah we're talking about what I.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Crave, which is anything from am pm.

[AM PM Interviewee]

What more could you want?

[AM PM Advertiser]

Stop by AM PM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience. AM PM Too much. Good stuff.

[VRBO Advertiser]

Foreign.

[Lindsey Graham]

1939 in Los Angeles, California five months after production wrapped on Gone with the wind, Hattie McDaniel turns up the volume on her kitchen radio. She's listening to a report broadcast live from the Lowe's Grand Theater in Atlanta, Georgia. The radio crackles with the announcement of the cast and crew's arrival at the premiere of Gone with the Wind. David Selznick, Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable all strut their way down the red carpet. Hattie can just picture the pageant of elegant dresses, sharp tuxedos and mink furs. But she stiffens with indignation because she knows she deserves to be there just as much as any of them. In Gone with the Wind, Hattie played the role of Mammy, Scarlett o' Hara's enslaved house servant. It's one of the most important roles in the film, but as an African American, Hattie has been banned from attending the premiere. George's Jim Crow segregation laws don't allow black people into theaters like the Lowes grand, even if they star in the film being shown. A few days after the premiere, though, Hattie receives a telegram. It's from Margaret Mitchell, the author of Gone with the Wind. Margaret says that Hattie's performance received a standing ovation from the audience in Atlanta, and she wishes Hattie could have heard it. More praise soon follows. Gone with the Wind is hailed by critics as a masterpiece, a sweeping historical epic brought to life in spectacular Technicolor at the Academy Awards the following year, it takes home 10 Oscars. Among the winners is Hattie McDaniel for Best Supporting actress. She is the first black actor to ever win an Academy Award, but even at the ceremony she's treated as a second class citizen, placed at a segregated table away from the rest of her white castmates. Hattie's treatment reveals a truth about race in America that Gone with the Wind disguises. The movie's representation of slavery and its heroic vision of the Confederacy bear little resemblance to the cruel reality of either institution. And as years go by, gone with the Wind will increasingly be regarded as a controversial masterpiece, and its place in film history will continue to be debated long after its segregated premiere in Georgia on December 15, 1939. Next On History Daily December 16, 1773American colonists dump chests of tea into Boston harbor in a protest against taxation without representation. From Noser and Airship, this is history. Daily hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham Audio Editing by Mohammad Shazi Sound Design by Molly Bach Music by Thrum this episode is written and researched By Angus Gavin McLark Edited by William Simpson Managing Producer Emily Burr Executive producers are William Simpson for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.

[AM PM Interviewer]

What do you think makes the perfect snack?

[AM PM Interviewee]

Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Could you be more specific?

[AM PM Interviewee]

When it's cravenient? Okay, like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter available right down the street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at a.m. p.m.

[AM PM Interviewer]

I'm seeing a pattern here.

[AM PM Interviewee]

Well yeah, we're talking about what I.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Crave, which is anything from AM pm.

[AM PM Interviewee]

What more could you want?

[AM PM Advertiser]

Stop by AMPM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience AM PM too much. Good stuff.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Hey, this is Sarah. Look, I'm standing out front of a.m. p.m. Right now and well, you're sweet and all, but I found something more fulfilling, even kind of cheesy. But I like it. Sure, you met some of my dietary needs, but they've just got it all. So farewell oatmeal. So long, you strange soggy.

[AM PM Advertiser]

Break up with bland breakfast and taste AM PM's bacon, egg and cheese biscuit made with ktree eggs, smoked bacon and melty cheese on a buttery biscuit. AM PM too much. Good stuff.

[AM PM Interviewer]

What do you think makes the perfect snack?

[AM PM Interviewee]

Hmm, it's gotta be when I'm really craving it and it's convenient.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Could you be more specific?

[AM PM Interviewee]

When it's cravinient? Okay, like a freshly baked cookie made with real butter available right down the street at a.m. p.m. Or a savory breakfast sandwich I can grab in just a second at AM pm.

[AM PM Interviewer]

I'm seeing a pattern here.

[AM PM Interviewee]

Well yeah, we're talking about what I.

[AM PM Interviewer]

Crave, which is anything from AM pm.

[AM PM Interviewee]

What more could you want?

[AM PM Advertiser]

Stop by AMPM where the snacks and drinks are perfectly craveable and convenient. That's cravenience AM PM too much Good stuff.