A short glimpse into yesterday, today and tomorrow, reveals the timeless everlasting appeal of great film icons. A truly gifted actress and two talented actors, Paul Newman, James Dean, and Marilyn Monroe have helped to shape and mold our generation, and are still a great influence with in our society today. We Americans are famous for worshiping dub ions demigods of the miraculous moment. The celebrities, who have inspired, identified with and transcended screen roles to become an active part of popular culture and people's lives became icons. Based upon their bodies of work in films, Paul Newman, James Dean, and Marilyn Monroe have become film icons who will endure well into the twenty-first century.
Paul Newman, screen legend, superstar, and the man with the most famous blue eyes in history was born on January 30th, 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of a successful sporting goods store owner. He first started acting in grade school and high school plays. He served in WWII and after discharge from the Navy in 1946; he attended Kenyon College on an athletic scholarship. His sports career ended with an injury and he turned to drama, joining summer stock Company in Wisconsin.
After relocating to Illinois in 1947, he married actress Jacqueline Witte, and following the death of his father took over the family business. Newman soon grew restless, and after selling his interest in the store to his brother, enrolled at the Yale School of Drama. During a break from classes he traveled to New York City where he won a role in the CBS television series The Aldridge Family. (blockbuster) A number of other TV performances followed, and in 1952 Newman was accepted by the Actors Studio, making his Broadway debut a year later in Pinic, where he was signed by Warner Bros. He co-starred with Joanne Woodward, who soon became his second wife. Today Paul resides with his wife, actress Joanne in Westport, CT. Newman has remained a prominent public figure through his extensive charitable work; he created the Scott Newman foundation after the drug-related death of his son and later marketed a series of gourmet foodstuff under the umbrella name Newman's' own, with all the profits going to support his project for children suffering from cancer. (classicfilm)
Paul Newman, classically handsome with an abundance of sex appeal was offered his first film Silver Chalice, 1954 by Warner Brothers.
Eckstein, Arthur. “The Hollywood Ten in History & Memory.” Film History. 2004. Web. 16 Jan.
The stars, particularly Hollywood stars, made a huge contribution to attracting vast numbers of people to the cinema.
Arnold Palmer was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on September 10, 1929. Growing up, Arnold had two siblings. Arnold’s mother’s name was Doris Palmer. He was born into a golfing household, with his father, Deacon Palmer, as the greens keeper and teaching professional at the Latrobe Country Club. Palmer learned much of what he knows about the game from his father, who made a set of clubs for Arnold when the boy was three years old.
Clurman, Harold. “Actors-The Image of Their Era.” The Tulane Drama Review 4.3 (1960): 38-44. JSTOR.
middle of paper ... ... It is no wonder why movies were and still are a popular form of entertainment, as well as why during the 1920’s and even during the depression, people continued to flock to the movies. Works Cited Carringer, Robert, L. Jazz Singer. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press, 1979.
McCrisken, T. B., & Pepper, A. (2005). American History and Contemporary Hollywood Film. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press.
Voytilla, Stuart. Myth and the Movies: Discovering the Myth Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films. Ventura Boulevard: Michael Wiese Productions, 1999.
Marilyn Monroe, Norma Jeane Mortenson. A devious soul but a pure heart, a black past, but a bright future; she became one of the most idolized figures in society. Norma was definitely not born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and she never sugar coated her life to the media. She was straight forward which made her heavily known for her quotes such as “I learned to walk as a baby and I haven’t had a lesson since.” (Marilyn Monroe). This was the beginning to her life story as a hero. This may not seem inspiring or heroic to many by the lack of knowledge a person may have on Norma. In the depths of her quotes lay a deep, heartfelt life though. For this quote may seem sensational and comical to the ear, but Marilyn was transferred to many foster homes not really having a parent that would show her the way. What a good role model would do though, and what Norma courageously has shown society, is that when life knocks you down, get up and hit life back twice as hard. Norma Jeane Mortenson, married Jim Dougherty, and started working. Soon she created the character Marilyn Monroe, she dyed her hair blonde, wore short dresses, and she became the momentous and inspirational character that everyone saw through television, newspapers, and photos. She was one of the greatest actors, singers, and models of the nineteen forties and fifties. But like every hero they suffer and create their own demise. Jeane, Marilyn Monroe, is a shakespearean tragic hero, because like every hero she must fall.
Smith, Scott. The Film 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential People in the History of
... movie stars like royalty or mythical gods and goddesses, viewing the drama between great archetypal characters in a personal psychic realm. By considering the statements made and their societal impact from a Marxist perspective, Benjamin’s method is highly effective, as it does not simply consider art in terms of pure aesthetics anymore, but considers art’s place in a society capable of mechanically reproducing and endlessly duplicating film, photography, and digital art. His qualm with losing the aura and mystique of an original work is negated by the cult of movie stars, the adoration of fame, the incorporation of soundtracks which embody a particular time period, cinematographic allusions, and time-capsule-like qualities of a film such as Basquiat, a 90s tribute to the 80s, produced both as a part of and resulting from the art movements and trends it addresses.
From the lavish mansions of Hollywood stars to the cigarette smoke filled offices of broke screenwriters, the 1950 noir movie Sunset Boulevard remains a timeless classic with a stunning story of an actress gone mad, and a screenwriter just trying to squeak by. This film is the first pre-1960’s flick that has left me with a feeling of awe. The first word that comes to mind after the credits begin to roll is just“wow!”. I was struck by the intriguing plotline and brilliant execution of the story. Not only is the film a classic for its gripping story, and twisted power dynamics, it also shows amazing camera work and brilliant acting.
Two of the biggest names of 1950s music are Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. These men helped the music industry become what it is today. Cash did it with a deep, genuine, southern voice, while Presley had the women swoon over him for his quick feet, charisma, and smooth voice.
Sunset Boulevard directed by Billy Wilder in 1950 is based on how Norma Desmond, a huge Hollywood star, deals with her fall from fame. The film explores the fantasy world in which Norma is living in and the complex relationship between her and small time writer Joe Gillis, which leads to his death. Sunset Boulevard is seen as lifting the ‘face’ of the Hollywood Studio System to reveal the truth behind the organisation. During the time the film was released in the 1950s and 60s, audiences started to see the demise of Hollywood as cinema going began to decline and the fierce competition of television almost proved too much for the well established system. Throughout this essay I will discuss how Sunset Boulevard represents the Hollywood Studio System, as well as exploring post war literature giving reasons as to why the system began to crumble.
Born on September 12, 1973, in Glendale, California, Paul Walker appeared in front of the camera at a young age, modeling and acting in television shows such as Charles in Charge, Highway to Heaven and Who's the Boss. In 1986, he made his film debut in the horror spoof M...
Stanley, Robert H. The Movie Idiom: Film as a Popular Art Form. Illinois: Waveland Press, Inc. 2011. Print