Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios: Difference between revisions
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===Background=== | ===Background=== | ||
'''Metro''' Pictures Corporation was founded on June 23, 1915 by Richard A. Rowland (1880-1947) and Louis B. '''Mayer''' (1885-1957). The company started out distributing films made by Solax Studios but Mayer left soon after operations began to form his own company, Louis B. Mayer Pictures, in 1918. Richard Rowland would continue to produce a number of films in New York City; Fort Lee, New Jersey; and in | '''Metro''' Pictures Corporation was founded on June 23, 1915 by Richard A. Rowland (1880-1947) and Louis B. '''Mayer''' (1885-1957). The company started out distributing films made by Solax Studios but Mayer left soon after operations began to form his own company, Louis B. Mayer Pictures, in 1918. Richard Rowland would continue to produce a number of films in New York City; Fort Lee, New Jersey; and in Hollywood, where he established a backlot at North Cahuenga Boulevard (which remains open and is today known as Red Studios Hollywood). Marcus Loew, who had been seeking product for his ever-expanding collective of nickelodeons, vaudeville houses and movie palaces, acquired Metro Pictures in 1920. | ||
Dissatisfied with Metro's output following his purchase of the studio, Loew later purchased [[Goldwyn Pictures|'''Goldwyn''' Pictures]] in 1924 and combined the two studios in the hope of creating higher quality content for his theaters. The same year, Louis B. Mayer sold his company, Louis B. Mayer Productions, to Loew for $75,000 (Around $1.17 million adjusted for inflation). The merger between the three studios was completed on April 17, 1924, with the three studios becoming '''Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.''', or simply '''MGM'''. With Mayer serving as head of the studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer became one of the major players in the Golden Age of Hollywood and was part of the "Big Five" studios alongside [[Paramount Pictures]], [[RKO Radio Pictures]], [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]] and [[Warner Bros. Pictures]]. At its peak in the 1930s, the studio was releasing 50 films a year. In 1952, Loews Inc. was forced to relinquish control of MGM due to the outcome of ''[[w:United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc.|United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc.]]'' forcing studios and theaters to separate. By the end of the 1950s, MGM was in decline due to a combination of the split from Loews, the decline of the old studio system and the rise of television. In 1957, the same year Louis B. Mayer died, the company filed a loss for the first time ever. | Dissatisfied with Metro's output following his purchase of the studio, Loew later purchased [[Goldwyn Pictures|'''Goldwyn''' Pictures]] in 1924 and combined the two studios in the hope of creating higher quality content for his theaters. The same year, Louis B. Mayer sold his company, Louis B. Mayer Productions, to Loew for $75,000 (Around $1.17 million adjusted for inflation). The merger between the three studios was completed on April 17, 1924, with the three studios becoming '''Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.''', or simply '''MGM'''. With Mayer serving as head of the studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer became one of the major players in the Golden Age of Hollywood and was part of the "Big Five" studios alongside [[Paramount Pictures]], [[RKO Radio Pictures]], [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]] and [[Warner Bros. Pictures]]. At its peak in the 1930s, the studio was releasing 50 films a year. In 1952, Loews Inc. was forced to relinquish control of MGM due to the outcome of ''[[w:United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc.|United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc.]]'' forcing studios and theaters to separate. By the end of the 1950s, MGM was in decline due to a combination of the split from Loews, the decline of the old studio system and the rise of television. In 1957, the same year Louis B. Mayer died, the company filed a loss for the first time ever. | ||