Creative Careers in Hollywood

241 Pages·2002·0.98 MB·English

by  Laurie Scheer

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LAURIE SCHEER
© 2002 Laurie Scheer
All rights reserved.Copyright under Berne Copyright Convention,Universal
Copyright Convention,and Pan-American Copyright Convention.No part of
this book may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted in
any form,or by any means,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,
or otherwise,without prior permission of the publisher.
07 06 05 04 03 02 5 4 3 2 1
Published by Allworth Press
An imprint of Allworth Communications,Inc.
10 East 23rd Street,New York,NY 10010
Cover design by Mary Ann Smith,New York,NY
Page composition/typography by Integras Software Services Pvt Ltd.,
Pondicherry,India
ISBN:1-58115-243-4
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Scheer,Laurie.
Creative careers in Hollywood / Laurie Scheer.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-58115-243-4
1. Motion pictures--Vocational guidance--United States. 2. Television--
Vocational guidance--United States.I.Title.
PN1995.9.P75 S34 2002
791.43'02'93--dc21
2002011071
Printed in Canada
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Anais,Ayn,and Hortense,who paved the way,
Daisy and Sir,who were the way,
and to Professor James Tiedge,who taught me the way.
To DePaul University and Dr.Charles Strain and Dr.Kate Kane.
To the University of Chicago for letting me teach this material for the first
time in the spring of 1997 and to all those who took the course. To
Northwestern University for giving me “my kids.”To Dr.Deena Weinstein,
warmly, for believing in me.To Gahl who never stopped asking how the
book was going.To Cindy Bell who gave this Midwesterner her first job in
the industry.To Kelley Rarey,who is no longer from Ohio.To Allworth Press
for believing in the project.To the Margaret Herrick Library, Center for
Motion Picture Study,and to Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee Video.And
to Mom and Dad for those typing lessons at age twelve.
To every kid who has ever wanted to work in the movies,
this book is for you.
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The journey-to-life of this book began while I was in graduate school at
the University of Chicago. Part of the agreement to complete a master’s
degree in liberal arts was for a graduate student to teach the material she
was researching for her thesis.The university generously granted me the
opportunity to impose my findings,musings,bits and pieces of media,and
video bytes on whoever entered the classroom that spring.The following
were the gracious individuals who participated in the adventure. I thank
them for helping to give life to this information.
“HOLLYWOOD ON HOLLYWOOD”
Gleacher Center—University of Chicago
Chicago,Illinois March 22,1997
Anne Allison
Diane Dawson
Denise Doctor
Tom Foley
Jennifer Garson
Joanna Garson
Beau Grabner
Judy Lapinsohn
Jeffrey Meyer
Ellen Nordberg
Jacquey Rosati
Susan Roupp
Cheryl Lyn Rybka
Ruth Schoenbeck
Robvert Schrade
Douglas Stevenson
Samantha Weaver
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CONTENTS
Introduction 1
This Is Los Angeles ...
Movies Aren’t the Only Influence
Mythmaking for the Collective Consciousness
1950,1976,and the Late 1990s
Life Does Influence Art
Touchstone Thoughts
How to Use This Book
Hollywood Food Chain (HFC)
Don’t Forget to Have Fun
Chapter 1: Actor 12
The Twenties
The Thirties
The Forties
The Fifties
The Sixties and Seventies
The Eighties and Nineties
Actor Wrap
In Real Life
Chapter 2: Agent-Manager 42
Schmoozing at All Levels
The Tenpercenteries
The Beautiful Young Turks
In Real Life
Chapter 3: Assistant 56
The Fundamental Film
Administrative Personnel
Before Hollywood
Locating a Job Lead
Celluloid Assistants
Do You Love It Enough to Change It?
In Real Life
Chapter 4: D-girl 70
Development
Working Between the Revolving Doors
D-girl Burnout
Three Important D-girls
In Real Life