Patent war with Edison led producers to California, creating Hollywood.
Hollywood aimed to produce films at a high scale and establish a production standard pipeline.
The big six companies involved: Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, MGM, Universal Studios, and RKO.
The Studio System
Influence from Broadway:
Inspired by the 19th-century Broadway method for developing theater actors.
Success led to the golden age of Hollywood.
Principles:
Business efficiency, economic rationalization.
Long-term exclusivity contracts for actors.
Operation of the Star System
Actor Development:
Actors were introduced into the star system, significantly altering their lives.
Studios developed actors into celebrities, creating idealized public images.
Marketing Strategy:
Movies' success heavily reliant on the popularity of the cast.
Actors’ names prominently displayed on posters (e.g., Florence Lawrence).
Control Over Actors
Public Image Management:
Creation of background stories; alteration of names (e.g., Michael Landon, Marilyn Monroe).
Studios monitored actors' lives, public behavior, and arranged publicity stunts like sham dates.
Expected Behavior:
Defined public behavior for men and women.
Role and Image Alignment
Examples:
Joan Crawford, Michael Landon, Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo, Marlon Brando.
Actor’s lifestyle expected to align with their on-screen roles.
Challenges and Decline
Morality Clause Issues:
Potential scandals managed by studios through hush money and media manipulation.
Shift in Actor Control:
Emphasis on image over acting skills.
Contracts included extensive training for actors.
Influential Films:
Movies like "The Wizard of Oz," "It's a Wonderful Life," "Casablanca," and "Citizen Kane."
Worker Swapping and Disputes:
Studios swapped workers for prestige productions.
Censorship and punishment for actors seeking role changes independently.
Legal challenges and demands for contract changes (e.g., Olivia de Havilland, Marilyn Monroe).
Decline of the Star System
Transition to Free Agency:
Decline began in the 1960s and continued into the 1970s.
Driven by changes in entertainment, culture, labor, and media.
Legacy
The star system provided a structured but restrictive framework for actors, shaping early Hollywood's success and laying the groundwork for future industry practices.