Early Poverty Row Studios (Images of America)

This dandy book is jam-packed with enjoyable "aha" moments. So many surprises to deepen your appreciation for the Hollywood Story. Using rare, early Hollywood photos as a framework, the authors successfully build a 'you are there' narrative. It seems that seat-of-your pants businessmen were putting up film studios all the time, capitalizing on the gorgeous climate of southern California. By generously providing addresses, the book allows you to see what those areas look like in Google earth today. Yes, in some cases, the old buildings are still there! I've long had a keen interest in the original Lone Star studios, prepared for Chaplin by Mutual. But the story of the grounds has much more to it. We learn where it originated, and who took control of it after Chaplin. My jaw dropped when we are told that Mabel Normand also received a studio of her own. I guess this was a thing. I cannot imagine any star getting his own studio today. With studios popping up like mushrooms (often using leased and rented facilities), and many withering like grass, it is a delight to trace the history of what becomes the powerhouse studios of today. It has been said elsewhere that the movie camera is "The Toy That Grew Up". This highly recommended volume describes the Industry That Grew Up. Many thanks to Marc Wanamaker and E. J. Stephens for this easy-to-read and very accessible work.

A good chronology of early moviemaking in Los Angeles, centering around the studios whose credos were, in the words of one piratical lesser studio head: "Let Louie B. Mayer make chicken salad, I'll make the chickens**t!" It's a good reminder that, despite what you might hear, Hollywood (the metonym, not the physical location) was not really invented by Cecil B. DeMille and D.W. Griffith. There were several others rushing through the southland hills with cameras a number of years earlier. There is one rather jaw-dropping factual error -- Bob Clampett did NOT create "Howdy Doody," he created "Time for Beany" -- though why that is even in the text is a mystery, since it has nothing to do with anything. No matter; this is a good addition to the catalogue of early Hollywood books.

Great job compiling all of information and pictures to create this book! This is an excellent read for those who want to know about the history of the studios in Hollywood!

Very informative. The material and images were well researched and organized.

The book reads well, is highly organized and I highly recommend it.

This is area of Hollywood history that fascinates me. It definitely filled me in on the comings and goings of the filmmakers in the 1920s and '30s.

Jimney Christmas, who'da thunk Hollywood's beginnings were so incredibly humble. Now it's just Holly-weird

this is really cool, never thought there were that many studios around in those days ..

If you are a fan of old movie studios, this is the PERFECT series for you. Mostly vintage photos with long descriptive captions. I love it.