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Scope
note
This pathfinder is intended for UNC Chapel Hill undergraduate and
graduate students who have an interest in researching Hollywood’s
Golden Age, including actors, directors, films, and studios of the
period. The goal of the pathfinder is to introduce students to high-quality
physical and virtual resources located on campus and the internet.
Introduction
The decade marked by the Great Depression and leading into World
War II is remembered as Hollywood’s Golden Age. During this
period, new genres were formed, new stars were born, and the studio
system rose to mammoth status. The eight major studios, each known
for its distinctive style and stars, collectively produced 95% of
all American films. More than 7,500 features were released by the
studios between 1930 and 1945 to eager audiences. More than 80 million
people took in a least one film per week at the height of the cinema’s
popularity. This period also saw the introduction of the Production
Code, B-Films, and the first animated feature of Snow White. Hollywood’s
Golden Age began to decline in the late 1940’s due to the
introduction of television, Hollywood blacklisting, and the ability
of actors to become ‘free agents.’ A final blow to the
industry occurred in 1948, when antitrust suits were filed against
the major studios.
Source: “Motion Pictures.” The New Encyclopedia
Britannica. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2002.
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