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Chris Yogerst
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Chris Yogerst is a film historian and professor. His books include 'The Warner Brothers,' which follows the siblings from their family's humble origins to the height of fortune in Hollywood, as well as 'Hollywood Hates Hitler!'.
More from Chris Yogerst
Hollywood’s First Amendment Crusaders Are Back
This Trumpian moment recalls the industry's infamous blacklist era. Fittingly, Jane Fonda has resurrected the Committee for the First Amendment.
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The Evolving Politics of ‘South Park’
Always skirting around labels, the truth is that the Comedy Central show’s most consistent stance is against extremism.
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When Fox Made the Wrong Bets — and Wound Up In a Hostile Takeover
A Hollywood M&A lesson from 100 years ago, when William J. Fox stumbled and ended up merging with 20th Century.
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Blockbusters to Bust: A Cautionary Tale for Swaggering Hollywood Indie Studios
Carolco Pictures paved the way for unapologetically big movies that defined the '80s and early '90s — even as its excesses led to bankruptcy.
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How Paramount’s First Big Sale Spurred a New Hollywood Era in 1966
When mineral-producing conglomerate Gulf + Western snapped up the historic studio, the industry was at a crossroads. But a series of key moves kicked off a run of feature hits that fueled decades of growth.
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The Rise of Mega Studios: How MGM Remade Hollywood 100 Years Ago
The goal of the Metro, Goldwyn and Mayer deal in April 1924 was to eliminate production overlap between the companies, pooling resources to create "more pictures and better pictures."
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Cass Warner, Filmmaker and Granddaughter of Warner Bros. Co-Founder, Dies at 76
She also launched Warner Sisters, a company that developed film and TV projects, and co-authored the book 'The Brothers Warner.'
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Oscars Big Snub? ‘Casablanca’ Win Marked Boiling Point at Warner Bros.
At the time, it was seen as the ultimate Academy Awards snub that sent the town abuzz: When studio mogul Jack Warner stole the Oscars statuette from Hal Wallis on stage it proved the last straw in an increasingly contentious relationship.
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When Warner Bros. First Left the Family: Betrayal and High Drama In a Classic Hollywood Megadeal
With new rumblings of a Paramount deal that could (once again) reshape the entertainment landscape, it's worth remembering when the Warner brothers cashed out in 1956 — and how it happened.
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Hollywood Has Been Here Before With Antisemitism
Perhaps more so than any other U.S. industry, the entertainment business grew amid rampant antisemitism and flourished in the face of hatred. Just look at the 1930s.
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The Long Shadow of Antitrust Targets From Hollywood’s Golden Age
As the dual strikes put focus on consolidation, it's worth remembering how studios fought the government ahead of 1948's Paramount Decrees — yet the industry ultimately saw a rise in independent production and an increase in risk-taking in their wake.
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How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started
An origin story of the siblings who incorporated a studio 100 years ago today, overcoming obstacle after obstacle before finally finding an entertainment venture they could excel at together.
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