Stars soon became a vital factor in a film - the reason why cinemas played it, why it was made in the first place. By the 1920s, when sound arrived, fan magazines were helping to create star legends and fan mail flooded into the studios. Stars of the screen, like those in other walks of life, fulfil a primal need amongst us for figures to yearn for or envy. And although audiences tastes change, the most famous stars retain iconic status. Their charisma and influence may radiate beyond the screen into various aspects of our lives.
Stars are both socially influential and a vital part of the business of film.
The legend of Marilyn Monroe , born in Los Angeles in 1926, endures today more strongly than ever. Yet she also had a wholesome shyness. She alone, he sensed, could convey the character s delicious, unwitting mix of innocence and provocativeness. As with many stars, there was a widespread feeling of loss when, in 1962, she died. Even if stars rarely seemed to be the products of stable childhoods, upon Monroe s death, the public became aware of stardom s destructive potential.