Studio tributes

[Johann]

I'm almost finished my scrutiny of the MGM tapes, and tomorrow I'll post about the first volume, which focuses on the beginning of the studio, it's pre-World War II successes, right through to the sudden death of Irving G. Thalberg in 1936.
Thalberg was *arguably* the most important man in the history of motion picture production. His legacy is way bigger than the average person realizes.
Hollywood shut down to honor his sudden passing. EVERY studio shut down in tribute to Thalberg.
Everybody knew who "The Boy Wonder" was.
Everybody felt his influence in the whole industry. It's amazing what he accomplished, which was QUALITY CONTROL over motion picture production. He had a real ear for why a movie works or sucks. He improved films that would've been duds- he just had a perspective that no one else had. He wielded an authority at MGM that was quite formidible- even Louis B. Mayer was afraid of Thalberg- Irving was 15 years his junior!