Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood

tv show

poster for Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood

7 total episodes

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1 seasons

First Aired November 01, 2010

Overview

Each installment focuses on a different era of American movie history, from the invention of the first moving pictures to the revolutionary, cutting-edge films of the 1960s.

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Attack of the Small Screens (1950-1960)

Season 1 - Episode 6 - 1h 0m

Air Date

December 06, 2010

Overview

During the 1950s, with the nation enjoying a new prosperity and television providing fierce competition, the reign of the old moguls began a long decline. The movies needed new ideas that went beyond 3-D, widescreen processes and stereophonic sound. Dore Schary became the new production head at MGM, and by 1951 L. B. Mayer was forced out of his own company. At Warner Bros., a hot new director named Elia Kazan brought earthy realism to the screen with such films as A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and On the Waterfront (1954). An ominous atmosphere was created by the anti-Communist blacklist, poisoning a tough business where reputation was everything. In 1958 Stanley Kramer produced and directed The Defiant Ones, which gave Sidney Poitier above the-title billing and created the first African-American superstar.