They said it was Hollywood's greatest backlot, filled to the brim with more stars than there were in the sky. Hollywood didn't have real factories, but if it did, MGM's storied backlot would have been the biggest one. Run by Hollywood magnate Louis B. Mayer, the studio was a de facto kingdom with Mayer as the king.
Within his gates, Mayer was in charge. He had his own police force, a staff that catered to every whim that he or his stars might have and an enforcer who could clean up just about any mess.
On the lot, Louis B. Mayer controlled everything. If he thought you needed to be on a diet, you went on a diet. If he wanted you to be in a particular film, you did it. Even the Los Angeles police would defer to Louis B. Mayer.
While some people found this control to be stifling, the end result was legendary.
