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The movie star concept hasn't entirely lost its luster, even in an age of streaming, viral videos, and social media influencers. But there's no denying that star power was far greater in the Golden Age of Hollywood. The ubiquitous place movies held in popular culture for most of the 20 th century, combined with the studio system of Hollywood's early and middle years, helped propel scores of actors into national or even international notoriety.

That kind of fame didn't come entirely through acting talent and good movies. The studio system came with contracts, assigned roles, extensive makeovers, and a strict set of rules that Hollywood stars were expected to follow . That kind of careful massaging of an actor's public persona r

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