These tapes consist on two interviews and three phone conversations (recorded without the knowledge of the two actresses) between newspaper columnist Shirley Eder and actresses Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Crawford.

Born Ruby Stevens, she was orphaned when she was four. A chance audition led to a chorus job. By 17 she was a Ziegfeld Girl. At 20 she earned excellent reviews for a bit part in a Broadway play — and she had a new name: Barbara Stanwyck.