Blog Post #6: Stars of the Studio System

     The studio system dominated Hollywood production from the 20s until the 50s. Unlike today’s system, the studio system involved complete ownership over all aspects of film creation: the actors, writers, producers, and theaters. Having actors on contract was especially important—better actors drew larger audiences. Occasionally these actors were traded between studios, but most often they were exclusive to one specific studio.
      Essentially, studios trained audiences to expect certain types of films when billed with certain actors. When someone saw Judy Garland, Clark Gable, or Humphrey Bogart, listed as a film’s star, they knew what to expect from the movie. This predictability limited the creativity  of the studios—as they could churn out fundamentally identical movies and continue to make a profit—while it also limited the abilities of the stars as they were typecast and shoved into the same role over and over again.
      This is perhaps most apparent over the career of John Wayne. He is now referred to as the quintessential cowboy. Relentlessly, he was cast as the heroic cowboy in westerns. Yes, this did transform him from struggling bit actor to a “star” with the success of “Stagecoach.” Despite the fact that he had made westerns for years prior, his breakthrough film forever relegated him to the role of Hollywood’s cowboy.