Los Angeles Before Hollywood

This study provides a meticulous account of the reception and regulation of cinema in the United States during a decade of upheaval, transition, and industrial consolidation that affected all aspects of film culture. Written in close dialogue with contemporary journalism, the volume focuses on Los Angeles film culture from 1905 to 1915. The study discusses exhibition practices, regulatory efforts and reforms, the critical role of women in all areas of film culture, and the burgeoning movement of film journalism that pivoted around the feature format and serial films. Jan Olsson makes an important contribution to both film history and urban studies on the Progressive Era as it took place within a multiethnic city predicated on Midwestern sensibilities.