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Traditional Old Hollywood


Hollywood from the beginning has kept most anyone glued to the movie screens since the beginning of motion pictures. If we think about it, most of what we see on the big screen comes from books, Broadway theater, vaudeville acts, comedy tours. We typically think of Old Hollywood before we were able to hear actors/actresses in character relying on silent caption writing and attempting to master lip reading if we were able to do so. Music accompaniment was played on early piano's by someone sitting off to the side. Sing a long's were encouraged when lyrics were provided during the film or after. We traditionally think of black and white. We think of the easy free travels. We think mostly as well as the Hollywood signs we see. Old Hollywood was more than those things. We can't discount their part in how profitable Hollywood has become. Above are cars traveling dirt roads, in the beginning of Hollywood, these cars were modeled from the early 1900 hundred to maybe 1930's. As today, it took money America and people around the world didn't have access. The travels were often long. Some walked, took a train or traveled by cars. In the beginning anything to do with pictures was evolving technology, cameras, lights, stages, sets, locations, costumes. Seeing the white Hollywood sign was excitement to see, People knew where they were, their emotions pushed them over the edge.


Time certainly changes everything, the glorious HOLLYWOOD sign can be viewed from parts of Hollywood itself. The palm trees and hills of Hollywood, still show the world what it is made of, people from all over seeking fame, Any talents they had, they used to become the best actors/actresses, singers, dancers. Directors up and coming, following in the footsteps of the predecessors. More shooting locations, natural scenery and landscaping, posh houses and parties. Clubs that packed to the doors every night. What experience it must have been to have a house in the Hollywood Hills, Rodeo Drive and Etc. The cars along with lifestyle of the rich and famous became more elaborate, glamour, flashbulbs, media were no exception. Gossip magazines, news papers were picking up every word, sound and phyiscal emotion. A celebrities private life wasn't really private or mostly misconstrued information. No matter what through history Hollywood made someone famous if they let go of themselves for the world to see. Anyone could have been discovered anywhere, including the corner drugstore. If you didn't sing, couldn't dance, couldn't act Hollywood would go out of their way to send you for training, celebrities some of the time were discovered in Broadway, and Local Theatre for their talents. Sometimes they were discovered in subways and on the streets, during interviews with studio executives. Studios would include MGM, Paramount. Radio made a man or woman a star or brightened their career. 

It is true when a dancing came to the screen, the audiences may have felt that Fred Astaire could dance on air. His biggest dancing partner was Ginger Rogers and what a pair they made in those sequenced dances. The audience couldnt take their eyes of the movement of feet and the glamourous dresses.

Charlie Chaplin, Silent screen star, bringing laughter to the screen, audience most likely would have been thinking about what was coming next, those thigh slapping, tear jerking, sentimental moments.

Motion picture cameras captured every moment, operated by a team of people, from early morning to late nights, one scene could take several hours to complete. If any piece the camera became inoperable, a back up would have to be used or sent off for replacement, sometimes putting films into a timeout, anywhere from a few days to several months. film strips imprinted scenes to our favorite movies, our stars were captured with everything they could give. Screen test were performed with changes in scripts changing the background, costumes, actors/actresses. It was ever evolving piece of technology, those early film strips froze those we adored on the screen in time and stored along with costumes, props, lighting and other film equipment. Audiences have seen everything genre of film, experienced emotions any human could show, costumes of all proportions, backdrops, locations. Audiences have also experiences changes in studio systems, quality of films, film codes for viewers.

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