In our previous chapter, we discussed the good things about the Studio System during Hollywood's golden age. But there were many reasons why the Studio System was broken up. One of the biggest was that it tended to push out smaller studios who couldn't afford to keep a full staff of actors and actresses. The smaller players had to go begging to buy talent from the major studios who could give anyone who got on their bad side a hard time.
The big name talent were also given the shaft by the system. For example, if Clark Gable liked a script at Warner Brothers, he couldn't make it unless he could convince them to make MGM an offer for his services. Additionally, an actor or actress was at the whim of the studio heads when it came to booking roles. If Louis B. Mayer was upset at a performer, he could bury their career as long as he held their contract.
The collapse of the studio system put the power in the hands of the talent. No longer tied down to a particular studio, directors and stars were free to choose whichever projects they wished. The days of the powerful studio chiefs were over.
