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The Star System

The star system was the method of creating, promoting and exploiting stars in Hollywood films. Movie studios would select promising young actors and glamorize and create personas for them. They would go so far as to give them stage names and Cary Grant’s real name was Archie Leach. Now, the phenomenon of the movie star is still used to lure audiences to the cinema. It leads to multi-million dollar paychecks, TMZ, and outrageous staking behavior from crazed fans. Is it time for this to end? Should there be caps on actor paychecks? Should we end tabloid news circuits? Should we stop televising award shows? Would it benefit society? Would it bankrupt Hollywood?

  • Yes. It's about time that this crazy star system should end and more reasonable salaries or fees introduced. When it gets to the point whereby an actor can command a multi-million dollar contract and yet a struggling British nurse cannot even receive a decent pay rise, despite working a 60 hour week, then something has gone seriously wrong with the world (excuse the politics). So, yes to capping actors earnings, yes to ending the tabloid news circus. Awards ceremonies are shams and as to wether it would bankrupt Hollywood - who really cares? – Amyus 6 years ago
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  • I have all sorts of questions about fairness and legality: Who would have the authority to put caps on actor paychecks? Who would have the authority to end tabloid news circuits? Can we reasonably cap the paychecks in one industry but not in others? What about company CEOs? Or big sports players? What makes the entertainment industry so in need of (selective) regulation? – JamesBKelley 6 years ago
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  • In a capitalist system, money is often diverted towards that which society perceives as requiring greatest demand. If a doctor makes one person healthier in a day, but a movie star makes 10,000 people happier in an hour, how else should one expect the remuneration to be allocated? – Psiwrite 6 years ago
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