Stardom and the profitability of film making: Warner Bros. in the 1930s

Pokorny, M. and Sedgwick, J. 2001. Stardom and the profitability of film making: Warner Bros. in the 1930s. Journal of Cultural Economics. 25 (3), pp. 157-184. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010964032248

TitleStardom and the profitability of film making: Warner Bros. in the 1930s
AuthorsPokorny, M. and Sedgwick, J.
Abstract

This paper examines the film production performance of Warner Bros. during the 1930s, placing particular emphasis on the manner in which Warners invested in stars. Warners are shown to have acted rationally in the sense of having consistently invested in previously successful actors. An assessment is then made of how successful such a strategy proved to be. Drawing a distinction between high and medium/low budget production, the deployment of established stars in high budget productions did not appear to have constituted a successful strategy. The production of medium/low budget films, by contrast, provided a more stable environment, in which there were clear returns to the deployment of previously successful actors.

KeywordsFilm industry, stardom, risk, portfolio theory
JournalJournal of Cultural Economics
Journal citation25 (3), pp. 157-184
ISSN0885-2545
YearAug 2001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010964032248
Publication dates
PublishedAug 2001
File

Related outputs

Hollywood in the world market: evidence from Australia in the mid-1930s
Sedgwick, J., Pokorny, M. and Miskell, P. 2014. Hollywood in the world market: evidence from Australia in the mid-1930s. Business History. 56 (5), pp. 689-723. https://doi.org/10.1080/00076791.2013.837891

The financial and economic risks of film production
Pokorny, M. and Sedgwick, J. 2012. The financial and economic risks of film production. in: Hjort, M. (ed.) Film and risk Wayne State University Press. pp. 181-196

Film consumer decision-making: the Philadelphia story, 1935–36
Pokorny, M. and Sedgwick, J. 2012. Film consumer decision-making: the Philadelphia story, 1935–36. Journal of Consumer Culture. 12 (3), pp. 323-346. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540512456999

Consumers as risk takers: evidence from the film industry during the 1930s
Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. 2010. Consumers as risk takers: evidence from the film industry during the 1930s. Business History. 52 (1), pp. 74-99. https://doi.org/10.1080/00076790903469620

Profitability trends in Hollywood, 1929 to 1999: somebody must know something
Pokorny, M. and Sedgwick, J. 2010. Profitability trends in Hollywood, 1929 to 1999: somebody must know something. Economic History Review. 63 (1), pp. 56-84. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0289.2009.00488.x

Hollywood’s foreign earnings during the 1930s
Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. 2010. Hollywood’s foreign earnings during the 1930s. Transnational Cinemas. 1 (1), pp. 83-97. https://doi.org/10.1386/trac.1.1.83/1

Association between ulcerative colitis and multiple sclerosis
Pokorny, C.S., Beran, R.G. and Pokorny, M. 2007. Association between ulcerative colitis and multiple sclerosis. Internal Medicine Journal. 37 (10), pp. 721 -724. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1445-5994.2007.01452.x

Widening participation in higher education: student quantitative skills and independent learning as impediments to progression
Pokorny, M. and Pokorny, H. 2005. Widening participation in higher education: student quantitative skills and independent learning as impediments to progression. Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology. 36 (5), pp. 445-467. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207390500062621

The film business in the United States and Britain during the 1930s
Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. 2005. The film business in the United States and Britain during the 1930s. Economic History Review. 58 (1), pp. 79-112. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0289.2005.00299.x

The characteristics of film as a commodity
Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. 2004. The characteristics of film as a commodity. in: Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. (ed.) An economic history of film Abingdon, UK Routledge.

Warner Bros in the inter-war years: strategic responses to the risk environment of filmmaking
Pokorny, M. and Sedgwick, J. 2004. Warner Bros in the inter-war years: strategic responses to the risk environment of filmmaking. in: Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. (ed.) An economic history of film Abingdon, UK Routledge.

Hollywood and the risk environment of movie production in the 1990s
Pokorny, M. 2004. Hollywood and the risk environment of movie production in the 1990s. in: Sedgwick, J. and Pokorny, M. (ed.) An economic history of film Abingdon, UK Routledge.

Risk strategies and the profitability of film making: Warner Bros. in the 1930s
Pokorny, M. and Sedgwick, J. 2001. Risk strategies and the profitability of film making: Warner Bros. in the 1930s. in: Janssen, S., Halbertsma, M., Ijdens, T. and Ernst, K. (ed.) Trends and strategies in the arts and cultural industries: a selection of papers presented at The Long Run, an international conference on long-term developments in the arts and cultural industries, Rotterdam, February 2000 Rotterdam, Netherlands Barjesteh van Waalwijk van Doorn.

Permalink - https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/93z5y/stardom-and-the-profitability-of-film-making-warner-bros-in-the-1930s


Share this

Usage statistics

123 total views
294 total downloads
These values cover views and downloads from WestminsterResearch and are for the period from September 2nd 2018, when this repository was created.