Looks at the development and changing organization of the star system in the American film industry. Tracing the popularity of star performers from the early "cinema of attractions" to the Internet universe, Paul McDonald explores the ways in which Hollywood has made and sold its stars. Through focusing on particular historical periods, case studies of Mary Pickford, Bette Davis, James Cagney, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, and Will Smith illustrate the key conditions influencing the star system in silent cinema, the studio era and the New Hollywood.
- Table of Contents
- List of Illustrations
- List of Tables and Charts
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction: Looking at Stars
- 1. Stardom as a System
- 2. Making the System
- 3. Controlling the System
- 4. Rethinking the System
- Conclusion: Stars and Hollywood History
- Filmography
- Bibliography
- Index of Names