The star system was the method of creating and promoting film stars in Classical Hollywood cinema. Studios would select a promising young actor and create a persona for him or her, often inventing a new name and even a new background. Examples of stars who went through the star system include Cary Grant (born Archie Leach), and Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur), and Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.). Classical Hollywood cinema designates both a visual and sound style for making motion pictures and a mode of production that arose in the Los Angeles film industry of the 1910s and 1920s. ... A movie studio is a location, room, building, or group of buildings and/or sound stages, offices and storage facilities, which may include a backlot, where movies are made. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A persona is a social role, or a character played by an actor. ... Archibald Alexander Leach (January 18, 1904 – November 29, 1986), better known by his screen name, Cary Grant, was an English film actor. ... Joan Crawford, photographed by Yousuf Karsh, 1948 Joan Crawford (March 23, 1904 – May 10, 1977) was an acclaimed Academy Award winning American actress. ... Rock Hudson (November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was a popular American film and television actor, noted for his good looks, and most remembered as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s. ...

The star system put an emphasis on image rather than on acting, although discreet acting, voice, and dancing lessons were a common part of the regimen. Women were expected never to leave the house without makeup and stylish clothes. Men were expected to be seen in public as gentlemen. Morality clauses (see Clara Bow) were a common part of actors' studio contracts. Cosmetics or makeup are substances to enhance the beauty of the human body, apart from simple cleaning. ... Clara Bow Clara Bow (born July 29, 1907[1]; - September 27, 1965) was an American actress and sex symbol, best known for her film work in the 1920s and early 1930s. ...

However, just as studio executives, public relations men, and agents worked together with the actor to create a star persona, so they would work together to cover up incidents or lifestyles that would damage the star's public image. It was common, for example, to arrange sham dates between single stars and starlets to generate publicity, especially if one of them was homosexual (as in the case of Rock Hudson, Tab Hunter, Anthony Perkins, and others). Tabloids and gossip columnists would be tipped off, and photographers would appear to capture the romantic moment. At the same time, a star's drug use (such as Robert Mitchum's arrest for marijuana possession), drinking problem, divorce, or adultery would be covered up with hush money for witnesses or promises of exclusive stories (or the withholding of future stories) to gossip columnists. Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ... Rock Hudson (November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was a popular American film and television actor, noted for his good looks, and most remembered as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s. ... Hunter (left) with actor John Bromfield Arthur Andrew Kelm (born July 11, 1931, in New York City, New York) is an American actor and singer, and goes by the pseudonym Tab Hunter. ... Anthony Perkins Anthony Perkins (April 4, 1932–September 12, 1992) was an American actor best known for his role as the serial killer Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho. ... Newspaper sizes in August 2005. ... A gossip columnist is someone who writes a gossip column in a newspaper or magazine, especially a gossip magazine, that prints gossip stories, spreading news of a personal, private nature, and/or rumors and lies, usually about show business, the motion picture and television industries, celebrities, movie stars, superstars, people... Recreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational rather than medical or spiritual purposes, although the distinction is not always clear. ... Robert Mitchum in Cape Fear Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American film actor and singer. ... A Cannabis sativa plant The drug cannabis, also called marijuana, is produced from parts of the cannabis plant, primarily the cured flowers and gathered trichomes of the female plant. ... Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinkers normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. ... Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse, which can be contrasted with an annulment, which is a declaration that a marriage is void, though the effects of marriage may be recognized in such unions, such as spousal support, child custody... Adultery is generally defined as consensual sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than his or her lawful spouse. ... Hush money is an informal term for financial incentives or rewards offered in exchange for not divulging information. ... In the description of a mathematical set, the term exclusive denotes that the endpoints of a range are not included within the set. ...

Beginnings of the star system

In the early years of the cinema (1890s-1900s), performers were not identified in films. There are two main reasons for this.

1. Stage performers were embarrassed to be in film. Silent film was only considered pantomime. One of actors' main skills was their voice. They were afraid that appearing in films would ruin their reputation. Early film was also designed for the working class. Film was only seen as a step above carnivals and freak shows.
2. Producers feared that actors would gain more prestige and power and demand more money.

Thomas Edison and the MPPC forced filmmakers to use their equipment and follow their rules, since they owned the patents of much of the motion picture equipment. The MPPC frowned on star promotion, although, according to research done by Janet Staiger, the MPPC did promote some stars around this time. A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ... Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman who developed many devices which greatly influenced life in the 20th century. ... MPPC stands for Motion Picture Patents Company, also known as the Edison Trust, also known as the First Oligopoly. ...

The main catalyst for change was the public's desire to know the actors' names. Film audiences repeatedly recognized certain performers in movies that they liked. Since they did not know the performers' names they gave them nicknames (such as "the Biograph Girl," Florence Lawrence, who was featured in Biograph movies). Florence Lawrence Florence Lawrence (January 2, 1886 – December 28, 1938) was an inventor and actress, who was referred to as The First Movie Star. ... The American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, was a motion picture company founded in 1895 and active until 1928. ...

Producer Carl Laemmle promoted the first film star. He was independent of the MPPC and used star promotion to fight the MPPC's control. Laemmle acquired Lawrence from Biograph. He spread a rumor that she had been killed in a streetcar accident. Then he combated this rumor by saying that she was doing fine and would be starring in an up-coming film produced by his company, the Independent Motion Picture Company (IMP). Carl Laemmle ( January 17, 1867, Laupheim, Württemberg, Germany – September 24, 1939, Beverly Hills, California) was a pioneer in American film making and a founder of one of the original major Hollywood movie studios. ... a historic postcard showing electric trolley-powered streetcars in Richmond, Virginia, where Frank J. Sprague successfully demonstrated his new system on the hills in 1888 A streetcar is a railway vehicle designed to carry passengers on tracks, usually laid in city streets. ... Carl Laemmle Carl Laemmle (January 17, 1867 – September 24, 1939) born in Laupheim, Württemberg, Germany, was a pioneer in American film making and a founder of one of the original major Hollywood movie studios. ...

The development of film fan magazines gave fans knowledge about the actors outside of their film roles. Motion Picture Story Magazine (1911-) and Photoplay. They were initially focused on movies' stories, but soon found that more copies could be sold if they focused on the actors. Edna Purviance on the cover of Photoplay magazine Photoplay was one of the first film fan magazines. ...

Also, precedents set by legitmate theater encouraged film to emulate the star system of the stage. Theater stars in the late 19th century were treated much like film stars came to be treated by the middle of the 20th century. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999...

See also

• Studio system
• Classical Hollywood cinema