| Description |
xiv, 311 pages ; 25 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 233-292) and index. |
| Contents |
Introduction : put on a show! -- California-made spectacles -- The Hollywood dream machine goes to war -- The glittering robes of entertainment -- Defending the American way of life -- Building a star system in politics -- Asserting the sixth estate -- The razzle dazzle strategy -- Conclusion : the Washington dream machine. |
| Summary |
"Conventional wisdom holds that John F. Kennedy was the first celebrity president, in no small part because of his innate television savvy. But, as Kathryn Brownell shows, Kennedy capitalized on a tradition and style rooted in California politics and the Hollywood studio system. Since the 1920s, politicians and professional showmen have developed relationships and built organizations, institutionalizing Hollywood styles, structures, and personalities in the American political process. Brownell explores how similarities developed between the operation of a studio, planning a successful electoral campaign, and ultimately running an administration. Using their business and public relations know-how, figures such as Louis B. Mayer, Bette Davis, Jack Warner, Harry Belafonte, Ronald Reagan, and members of the Rat Pack made Hollywood connections an asset in a political world being quickly transformed by the media. Brownell takes readers behind the camera to explore the negotiations and relationships that developed between key Hollywood insiders and presidential candidates from Dwight Eisenhower to Bill Clinton, analyzing how entertainment replaced party spectacle as a strategy to raise money, win votes, and secure success for all those involved. She demonstrates how Hollywood contributed to the rise of mass-mediated politics, making the twentieth century not just the age of the political consultant, but also the age of showbiz politics."--Publisher's Web site. |
| Subject |
Motion picture industry -- Political aspects -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
|
|
Motion picture industry -- Political aspects. |
|
United States. |
|
History. |
| Chronological Term |
20th century |
| Subject |
Motion picture industry. |
|
Politics and culture -- United States -- History -- 20th century.
|
|
Politics and culture. |
|
Motion picture producers and directors -- Political activity -- United States.
|
|
Motion picture producers and directors -- Political activity. |
|
Motion picture producers and directors. |
|
Motion picture actors and actresses -- Political activity -- United States.
|
|
Motion picture actors and actresses -- Political activity. |
|
Motion picture actors and actresses. |
|
United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century.
|
|
Politics and government. |
| ISBN |
1469617919 (cloth) (alkaline paper) |
|
9781469617916 (cloth) (alkaline paper) |
|
9781469617923 (ebook) |
| Standard No. |
40024292414 |
|
