The Hollywood Studio System

348 Pages·2005·32.119 MB·English

by  Douglas Gomery

THE HOLLYWOOD STUDIO SYSTEM

THE HOLLYWOOD STUDIO SYSTEM
A HISTORY
Douglas Gomery
HQ
Publishing
First published in 2005 by the
BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE
21 Stephen Street, London W1T 1LN
The British Film Institute's purpose is to champion moving image culture in all its richness and
diversity across the UK, for the benefit of as wide an audience as possible, and to create and
encourage debate.
Copyright © Douglas Gomery 2005
Set by Fakenham Photosetting Limited, Fakenham, Norfolk
Printed in the UK by Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, Wiltshire
Cover design: Mark Swan
Cover illustration film credits: (front) Swing Time (George Steven, 1936), RKO Pictures;
(back) MadAboutMusic (Norman Taurog, 1938), Universal Pictures.
Photographs courtesy of BFI Stills, Posters and Designs, and Quigley Collection, Georgetown
University, Washington, D.C.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 1-84457-064-9 (pbk)
ISBN 1-84457-023-1 (hbk)
51
Contents
Acknowledgments
vi
Introduction
1
Part I: The Rise ofthe Studio System 1915-30 7
Paramount
1 1
2 Loew's/MGM 27
3 Fox 37
4 Warner Bros. 46
5 RKO and the Minors: Universal, Columbia and United Artists 56
6 Ancillary Institutions: the Hays Office and the Academy 64
Part II: The Classic Studio Era 1931-51 71
7 Paramount 81
8 Loew's/MGM 99
9 Twentieth Century-Fox
1 1
10 Warner Bros. 130
11 RKO and Disney 144
12 The Minors: Universal, Columbia and United Artists, plus the B-film Factories 157
13 Industry Advocates: Will Hays and Eric Johnston 175
14 The Rise of Labour Unions 185
Part III: The Modern Hollywood Studio System 198
15 Universal 202
16 Paramount 226
17 Warners 238
18 Twentieth Century Fox 252
19 Disney 262
20 Columbia and Sony Pictures 276
21 Industry Advocate: Jack Valenti 288
22 Unions and Agents 299
Coda: The Modern Media Conglomerate Studio System 309
Bibliographic Guide 318
Index 328
Acknowledgments
This book began when my 1986 volume, The Hollywood Studio System went out of print some
time in the 1990s. Encouraged by continued interest in the book, I asked the original publishers if
they wanted to reprint it; they declined. So I asked for the rights back, and I got them.
Then I envisioned writing what I had wanted to do in the first place -a complete history ofthe
studio system. also wanted to provide complete notes -where the earlier limited version did not
I
allow me to do. Andrew Lockett, then at the BFI, agreed to take on the new project.
The book has three parts: part I - the system's beginnings; part II - the classic system of the
1930s and 1940s, which was covered in the original volume; and part III - the modern system,
from Lew Wasserman in the 1950s to the present.
Within each part, each chapter takes up a major studio corporation in detail, from its founder
up to the current leader as write in 2004. But how should go aboutwriting a history of the new
I I
studio system when we are still living through it? Lacking historical perspective, I can only guess at
the proper place of the current leaders, so I end each chapter in Part III with some tentative con-
clusions and also give a concluding Coda. So parts of this book are not history - proper historial
analysis requires distance in terms of time - but they are my best attempt to figure out the trends
of the modern conglomerate studio era as of 2004.
This then is a historyof the Hollywood studio system corporations and their leaders. One aspect
of this study worth mentioning is that of gender bias. Save for a very few lesser leaders, this his-
torical analysis has an all-male cast. This is a reflection of the US corporate world, and not of any
authorial bias.
When possible I sought paper validation of all facts I assert. Interviews are great for colour and
provide a necessary sense of personality. But even those interviews conducted with the key leaders
close to the events are flawed, as we all remember what we want to remember and forget much.
Contemporary documents are preferable. When I've encountered a conflict of facts, either point
I
it out in context or go with the one that seems to me, after thirtyyears' immersion in studying the
Hollywood studio system, to be closer to the truth and more accurate.
Andrew Lockett having moved on, Jonathan Tilston guided me to publication. thank Andrew
I
for taking on the book, and Jonathan for his skills as an editor and consideration for the writer.
Sophia Contento skillfully finished thejob, with help from Michael Henry.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
vii
|
I thank all those who helped me over the years as I studied the studio system. But in the end
it always comes back to Marilyn. She said over and over again: 'You should do this; you can do it;
you have all the files; you have the ideas.' Without her inspiration and professional example - and
her patience at listening to my endless Lew Wasserman stories as I learned to appreciate his his-
torical importance and consummate professionalism - this book would never have come to be.
I
must dedicate this book to a lucky series of events that pushed my life in directions I never
expected, but which thankfully led me to Marilyn.
Dottie Gailer urged me to do well in college, Diane Rauch pushed me to continue, Jon Innis
inspired me to be a professor, Eugene Smolensky taught me to do research, and finally pure luck
put me into the same classroom with Marilyn. Then David Bordwell trained me to be a film scholar,
and Marilyn encouraged me to do my best work as a researcher and writer. Thank you one and
all. But Marilyn, you did it again. 'Thank you' is not sufficient, but will have to do.