
Hidden Talent
The Emergence of Hollywood Agents
Tom Kemper(Author)
University of California Press
1st Edition
Published on 3. November 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
312 pages
978-0-520-25707-8 (ISBN)
Description
Katharine Hepburn, John Wayne, Lauren Bacall - behind each of these stars was a hidden force: the talent agent. In this first-ever history of Hollywood agents, Tom Kemper mines agency archives to present an insider's view on their tooth-and-claw rise to power during the studio era. It's a tale of ambitious characters, savvy calculation, muckraking, financial ruin, and ultimate triumph, and establishes the agent's vital role in the Hollywood business world. Existing studies characterize agents as a product of the 1950s, but Kemper revises the record to show how agents emerged from the primordial film industry during the late 1920s and carved themselves a permanent niche. Through case studies of key figures like Myron Selznick and Charles Feldman, we see that the agent's character and social relationships functioned within a business structure - a good reputation and powerful connections were his most precious assets. With wit and precision, Kemper locates Hollywood agents at the crossroads of talent and profit, and captures their central and enduring role in the burgeoning film industry.
Reviews / Votes
"[An] original and deeply researched study." Los Angeles Times 20091223 "Kemper's work [is] both groundbreaking and valuable... I learned something new in every chapter. Hidden Talent is a fascinating chronicle of the business side of Hollywood." Leonard Maltin, Movie Crazy 20100122 "Has there ever been a biographical film entirely about a Hollywood agent? Probably not. Still, some of the figures in Tom Kemper's new book would make lively subjects." Chronicle Of Higher Ed 20100124 "An important new perspective on the dynamics of production in the studio era." -- James Lyons Screening The Past 20110616 "Well presented and refreshing... Highly recommended." -- J. M. Welsh Choice 20110617 "Kemper's witty, engaging prose and skill as a storyteller make the book accessible to a wide audience." -- Eric Hoyt Senses Of Cinema 20091224More details
Edition
First Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Berkerley
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
19 b-w photographs
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
408 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-520-25707-8 (9780520257078)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
11/2009
1st Edition
Naval Institute Press
€28.49
Available for download
Person
Tom Kemper is Visiting Lecturer at the University of Southern California, and a teacher at the Crossroads School of Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles.
Content
List of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments 1. City of Agents: The Power of Place 2. Revenge of the Agent: Myron Selznick 3. A Percentage of Power: Small Agents 4. Charisma and Contracts: Charles Feldman 5. Numbers and Niches: Boutique Agencies 6. Sealing the Deal: The Contract Industry 7. My Man Myron: Power and Persuasion 8. What Made Myron Run?: The Whole Equation 9. Tall in the Saddle: Agents in the Producer's Chair 10. The Deal Factory: New Fortunes in the Forties Epilogue. The Corporate Era: Changing Channels List of Abbreviations Notes Selected Bibliography Index