History of the American Cinema

Focusing on the transition from the age of early short films to the era of commercially successful silent feature films, this study traces a cultural phenomenon that revolutionized American leisure time. Emphasis is placed on the growth of film publicity and the appeal of individual film stars. The silent cinema was America's first modern entertainment industry, a complex social, cultural, and technological phenomenon that swept the country in the early years of the twentieth century. Richard Koszarski examines the underlying structures that made the silent-movie era work, from the operations of eastern bankers to the problems of neighborhood theater musicians. He offers a new perspective on the development of this major new industry and art form and the public's response to it.