The name Hollywood predated the arrival of movies. A woman named Deida Wilcox, for the ranch she and her husband owned in the Cahuenga Valley, adopted it. On a trip back east, Mrs. Wilcox spoke to a woman from Chicago who owned a country estate called Hollywood. She was so intrigued with the name that she and her husband named their own land after it. A few years later, Mr. Wilcox subdivided his land, and the small community that grew from this subdivision kept the Hollywood name. In 1919, a town joined it to Los Angeles, which undertook to supply water and a sewage system.

From 1908 and on, film companies began to cluster around Hollywood, and the Nestor Film Company was the only company to actually settle at a location in Hollywood. However, the name was soon connected with movie-making and other companies wanted to be a part of it. Before long, Hollywood c

Some of the oldest and greatest films produced were the silent films from the early 20th century. These films were without sound and were the earliest produced up until 1927. More emphasis and attention was placed on the story of the film, and the audience really had to analyze the movie to understand it. These movies demanded attention. The dialogue was communicated through lip-reading and sparse titles. In a sense, calling these productions “silent films” was an unsuitable title. Movie theaters and other places provided pianists, Wurlitzer’s, and other sound machines. Some films were even produced with complete musical scores. A full-fledged orchestra and organist to provide music and to underscore the narrative on the screen accompanied most early of them. Many early silent films were dramas, romances, slapstick, or comedies. Early masters of cinema during the silent years included Cecil B. Demille, F.W. Muranau, Harold Lloyd, and of course, Charlie Chaplin. Then in 1927, a revolution in film was produced. The Jazz Singer was the first of the new breed of films called “talkies” were sound was included in the reel. The transition between silent and talking pictures proved difficult to the industry especially for the cinema organ players. Actors and Actresses who did not obtain speaking skills were practically finished overnight. Producers sought to catch the public’s thirst for “talkies”.

The fifties decade was known for many things such as post-war affluence, middle-class values, the rise of modern jazz, a baby boom, the advent of television, the rise of drive-in theaters, and a youth reaction to middle-age cinema. In this period following World War II, most films were idealized with common portrayals of men and women. Young people wanted new and exciting symbols of rebellion. Hollywood responded to the public demands. In the late 1940’s and 1950’s, people saw the rise of the anti-hero with stars like James Dean, Paul Newman, and Marlon Brando. Sexy anti-heroines included Ava Gardner, Kim Novak, and Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn was a sexy, vibrant actress who became America’s first sex symbol. The fifties also ushered the age of Rock and Roll, which held as a new teenage market. This influence surfaced in Richard Brooks Blackboard Jungle, a soundtrack by Bill Haley and His Comets. His song “Rock around the clock” was considered a very rebellious song for its time. Other music stars such as Elvis Presley contributed greatly to this newfound music. The 1950’s were definitely a time the media encouraged rebellion, sex, and rock and roll.

At this time, the studios were being taken over by multi-national companies. The traditional Hollywood studio era would soon be history as other conglomerates acquired more and more studios. The growing entertainment corporation, MCA (The Music Corporation of America) acquired Universal Studios in 1962 and in 1966, Gulf+Western Industries bought Paramount. A Canadian Corporation called Seven Arts renamed the company Warner Brothers Seven Arts after buying Warner Brothers, and the Las Vegas financier, Kirk Kerkorian in 1970, acquired MGM.

In the 1970’s, a lot of creativity was used in the U.S. film industry. Blockbuster movies marketed to millions of people, especially after the success of the popular films such as Jaws and Star Wars. Budgeting for film productions increased dramatically due to inflation and rising costs. Not only this, but Hollywood began to experiment with alternative, young filmmakers. It was in the seventies that the very successful MGM Studios sold off much of its wealth, abandoned the filmmaking business, and assorted into other areas such as casinos and hotels.

The people responsible for producing The Jazz Singer were non other than the Warner Brothers. Harry, Albert, Sa

Some topics in this essay:
Train Robbery, Steven Spielberg, Santa Monica, X-Men Chicago, Frank Capra, Tin Tin, War II, Elvis Presley, Dustin Hoffman, Warners Sam, warner brothers, silent films, rin tin tin, movie stars, film production, warner bros, tin tin, film companies, jazz singer, rin tin, films eighties, world war ii,