the MGM STUDIOS |
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios was formed in 1924 from a merger of three US film production companies: Metro Pictures Corporation (1916), Goldwyn Pictures Corporation (1917), and the Louis B. Mayer Pictures Company (1918).
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THE internal STRUCTURE of MGM:
Marcus Loew, head of Loew's Corporations, was responsible for the merger of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. Accordingly, Loew owned and funded MGM until his death in 1927. After Loew's death, Nicholas Schenck, Loew's longtime assistant, took over Loew's Corporations.
Almost immediately after the Studios merged, Louis B. Mayer was made Head of Studio Operations. Mayer perfected the Studio System at MGM; he knew exactly how to manipulate the system in his favor. Also, Mayer had a lot of friends in high places, most notably in New York; where the movie industry received the bulk of its funding. In fact, during Hollywood's Golden Era, Louis B. Mayer was so successful at MGM that he was the highest paid executive in America!
Additionally, Irving Thalberg was Head of Production at MGM from 1924 until his death in 1936. Although Thalberg was not considered a "big boss", he was a prominent producer in Hollywood, at the time. Thalberg, along side Mayer, introduced the factory line system of production at MGM; fast production to maximize product. This was MGM's equivalent to a Ford assembly-line.
Almost immediately after the Studios merged, Louis B. Mayer was made Head of Studio Operations. Mayer perfected the Studio System at MGM; he knew exactly how to manipulate the system in his favor. Also, Mayer had a lot of friends in high places, most notably in New York; where the movie industry received the bulk of its funding. In fact, during Hollywood's Golden Era, Louis B. Mayer was so successful at MGM that he was the highest paid executive in America!
Additionally, Irving Thalberg was Head of Production at MGM from 1924 until his death in 1936. Although Thalberg was not considered a "big boss", he was a prominent producer in Hollywood, at the time. Thalberg, along side Mayer, introduced the factory line system of production at MGM; fast production to maximize product. This was MGM's equivalent to a Ford assembly-line.
The Owners, Distributors and Exhibitors:
Loew Corporation, |
The Head of Production
Irving Thalberg Mervyn Leroy |
Examples of the MGM System at work:
Gone with the Wind (1939); Gone With the Wind is arguably the most classic film of the 20th century. In addition, at the 12th Academy Awards held in 1940, the film received 10 Academy Awards, out of 13 nominations. It set new records for the total number of wins and nominations at the time. The film was so popular that it became the highest-earning film made up to that point, and retained that record for over a quarter of a century. Ironically, the film was produced by Selznick International Pictures, which, at the time, was independently owned by David O. Selznick, Louis B. Mayer's son-in-law. Selznick was desperate to cast Clark Gable as his leading man, however MGM owned all the rights to Gable's contract. In exchange for the rights in the distribution and exhibition for Gone With the Wind, MGM allowed Selznick to cast Clark Gable in the lead role. Big Hollywood bosses, like Mayer, produced art for the sake of money, not for the sake of art. Heck, Mayer wouldn't even cut his own son-in-law a break; he lent Clark Gable to Selznick, for a high cost.
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"Gone With the Wind was a huge success, and a profitable bargain for the MGM studios"
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"The star system was the prime organizing principle of Metro's production and marketing strategies"
While perfecting the Studio System at MGM, Louis B. Mayer also perfected The Star System. Of all the impacts that the Studio System had, the Star System was, arguably, the most evident, during this time. The Star System allowed for bosses, like Mayer, to exercise control over every aspect of a movie star's life. So basically, the Star System worked the same way the Studio System did; instead of maximizing the production of movies, it maximized the production of movie stars! Although many MGM stars felt subjugated and exploited by the Star System, other stars argued that the system was a good thing, as long as you followed the rules in your contract. Contract rules included: moral clause, potato clause, marriage clauses, etc. Essentially, the Stars' had to maintain a desirable 'image' so as to keep their fan base growing, which in turn, generated a profit for the MGM studio.
"More Stars than there are in Heaven..."
Joan Crawford
"everyone had it rough under the system...you had to make the best of it"
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Greta Garbo
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Spencer Tracy
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Katherine Hepburn
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Clark Gable
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"I want my money"
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Mickey Rooney
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Marilyn Monroe
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Lucille Ball
"I loved the system at MGM, mostly because I had zero talent"
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Frank Sinatra
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Elizabeth Taylor
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Fred Astaire
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