The Origins of the Film Star System: Persona, Publicity and Economics in Early Cinema

by Andrew Shail

Drawing on a wide range of archival sources, Andrew Shail traces the emergence of film stardom in Europe and North America in the early 20th century. Modifying and supplementing Richard deCordova's account of the birth of the US star system, Shail describes the complex set of economic circumstances that led film studios and actors to consent to the adoption of a star system. He then explores the film industry's turn, from 1908, to making character-based...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1350272256
• ISBN13: 9781350272255
• Release Date: February 2022
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Length: 424 Pages