Leonard Maltin and his daughter Jessie will discuss and sign their new book at Vroman’s Bookstore on Sunday, then walk next door to the Landmark Pasadena to introduce a screening of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
The book, Family Movie Night Menus: Recipes & Films for Unforgettable Times Together, published April 7 by Running Press as part of the Turner Classic Movies library, pairs essays on 25 classic films with recipes inspired by each movie — from Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid (1921) through The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Each entry includes behind-the-scenes stories and a dish to make together before the credits roll.
The free event runs from 2 to 4 p.m. at Vroman’s, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., and includes a public book signing after the discussion. The Willy Wonka screening begins at 4 p.m. at the Landmark Pasadena, located next door in Pasadena’s Playhouse Village, with the Maltins introducing the 1973 film.
It is the first book to carry both names on the spine. “Et voila! The first book to announce on its spine that it is the work of Maltin and Maltin,” Leonard Maltin wrote on his blog. “I couldn’t be more proud.”
The collaboration grew from a decade of working side by side. Leonard and Jessie Maltin have co-hosted the weekly podcast Maltin on Movies since 2016, interviewing filmmakers and actors from Al Pacino to Jordan Peele. Leonard Maltin spent 30 years as the film critic on Entertainment Tonight and has taught at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts since 1998. He served two terms as president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and the Librarian of Congress appointed him to the board of the National Film Preservation Foundation. In 2022, he received the Robert Osborne Award from Turner Classic Movies.
Maltin, 75, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015 and publicly disclosed his condition in 2018. He has continued teaching, podcasting, and writing, according to his speakers bureau biography.
In announcing the book on his blog, he described its premise simply. “We encourage you to sit down with your family and your friends to have a good old fashioned movie night,” he wrote. “Make something to eat together then put your devices away, and let yourself be swept away.”
RSVP is required through Vroman’s Bookstore at vromansbookstore.com. Books will be available for purchase before and after the program, with a ticket option that includes a copy. For more information, call (626) 449-5320.
The book covers 25 films spanning nearly a century of cinema. “We consider classics worth sharing with your family,” Maltin wrote, “along with recipes for snacks and meals inspired by those movies.” On Sunday, Pasadena gets the first course.
LEONARD MALTIN & JESSIE MALTIN BOOK SIGNING Date & Time: Sunday, April 12, 2026, 2:00 PM | Venue: Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Phone Number: (626) 449-5320 | Website: https://vromansbookstore.com/event/2026-04-12/leonard-maltin-jessie-maltin
