Howard Johns

Howard Johns is a film historian, author and television personality from Palm Springs, California. From 1996 to 2002, he was editor-at-large for the monthly prestige magazine Palm Springs Life, where he met and interviewed numerous celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Kirk Douglas, Stefanie Powers, George Hamilton, and Suzanne Somers. In 2004, Johns wrote the bestselling nonfiction book "Palm Springs Confidential: Playground of the Stars" (Barricade Books). The title was featured by Turner Classic Movies as a book-of the-month in their annual movie festival Summer Under the Stars, and chosen by InsightOut® Book Club and Advocate magazine for their Christmas book selection. Two years later, Johns published the scandalous follow-up "Hollywood Celebrity Playground" with similar success. Johns has appeared on such top-rated network news programs as Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition and Hard Copy, discussing the lives and deaths of celebrities. He first gained widespread recognition as a field producer for NBC live coverage of the funeral of Congressman Sonny Bono. During the revitalization of Palm Springs, Johns provided exclusive access to the homes of Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Loretta Young, Jane Wyman, and others. Among his TV guest appearances are: Legendary Hollywood Homes 2 (2000, American Movie Classics); E! Mysteries & Scandals: Alan Ladd (2000, E! Entertainment Television); E! Mysteries & Scandals: Paul Lynde (2000, E! Entertainment Television); and E! True Hollywood Story: Hollywood Squares (2003, E! Entertainment Television). In 2004, he appeared on the Kraft two-hour holiday special Hollywood Home Movies, directed by Morgan Neville (Arts & Entertainment Network), which was shown on Time Warner Cable and Comcast. In 2008, Johns was a contributing editor for the 50th anniversary issue of Palm Springs Life, providing a multi-layered commentary about the history and development of this unique desert oasis. His extensive research has been featured in Vanity Fair and Architectural Digest. Johns currently resides in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he recently completed his third nonfiction book, "A Stolen Paradise."