The Little Russian Boy
Mayer was the definition of the rigid and horrifying Hollywood studio system. He enjoyed making new “discoveries” and had some real talent. He was the man behind some notable on-screen sensations, including Greta Garbo, Hedy Lamarr, and Norma Shearer. He insisted on making the stars himself, and he had a knack for it. However, his methods weren’t the best.
Louis B Mayer in 1938. Photo by Kobal / Shutterstock
He once famously stated that a star is “carefully and cold-bloodedly built up from nothing, from nobody.” He seems to have been projecting. Despite the fact that Mayer was in charge of one of the largest studios in Hollywood, that’s not how he started off. I mean, he was a little nobody from Russia.