A History of Movie Mainstay MGM–Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
When you think about the movie industry, not many people really put much stock into the happenings behind the movie. Interestingly enough, it is the studio that easily should be getting all of the recognition for the film, not necessarily the actors or the director. It is the studio that buys the screenplay and from there, they decide who will best be suited to produce the film and who they deem the best possible candidate to direct the film. Then there are many decisions that will need to be made regarding the cast, the location, and just how much the budget will be for the making of the film itself.
Metro Goldwyn Mayer is a perfect example of such a movie studio. It was the combination of the Metro Pictures Corporation that was developed in the year 1916, the Goldwyn Pictures Corporation established in 1917, and the Louis B Meyer Pictures Company built in 1918 that all merged in the year 1924 to develop one of the largest movie studio corporations of all time. Founded in the year 1904, Loews Incorporated set forth to develop MGM, and it was in the works with the Vaudeville and movie theater chain. Luis B Mayer, given his eye for production and his success as an independent producer, was given the task of head of studio. He had with him prior to the merge, a young wiz kid of only 25 years of age by the name of Irving Thalberg. This young executive was slated to become the production head.
Albeit the fact that Metro was the managing and dominant partner in the whole merger, it was Goldwyn that actually provided the production at their Culver City studio. What was really interesting about the entire merger was that all of the company’s respective trademarks made the trip and survived the transfer. METRO’S mascot was Leo the Lion, and a parrot. Goldwyn’s corporate slogan was “Art For Art’s Sake”, or “Ars Gratia Artis”, which is on the merged companies letterhead and logo. What was felt to be the most costly film of its time, Ben Hur was easily becoming a problem for Goldwyn, as there was not much in the way of usable film from the Rome location where it was being shot. Mayers then took over this production, brought it back to the Culver City studio and finished the shooting. This was known as a major PR triumph, which set the tone for MGM to be revered as a large, and industrious film production company. This tag stayed with the company for many years to come.
By the year 1927, Marcus Loew passed away, and all control of his assets went under immediate control of his associates. At one point a crafty rival theater company owner by the name of William Fox, felt that there was an opportunity for him to capitalize on this downfall of the larger grander MGM, and sought to purchase the entire empire and all of its holdings. This outraged the other two shareholders that were in association with Loew, and made attempt to thwart Fox’s financial advances by way of action through the Justice Department. In a strange, yet lucky stoke of fate, Fox suffered a massive injury prior to the completion of the sale, and by the time he recovered from the injury the stock market crash of 1929 found him broke and unable to finish the transaction. What transpired from the lack of the transaction was a thirty-year hatred between New York and Hollywood.
With an already stunning lineup of stars under their belts, MGM made the addition of some of Hollywood’s biggest names. Some of these big name stars were Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, William Haines, and John Gilbert. Add this to the list of stars that were already well known, yet from other studios that they incorporated including, William Powell, Wallace Beery, Lon Chaney, and Buster Keaton. The studio was recognizing that they needed a star-studded lineup in order to appease the masses. This was definitely a good way to start. By the time they were finished they were known as the biggest and most prominent movie studios in the world.
