Nobody's Girl Friday: The Women Who Ran Hollywood

In this carefully researched title, Smyth (history, Univ. of Warwick; Edna Ferber's Hollywood) introduces scores of women who held high-ranking creative and managerial positions in Hollywood during its studio era (1930–50). The author explores their lives, remarkable achievements, and the studio culture in which they operated, while examining the reasons for this phenomenon, from the impact of the war years to an increased focus on the Equal Rights Amendment. Familiar names appear, including Bette Davis and Ida Lupino, who were versatile producers, writers, and directors in addition to being great actors. Others are not as well remembered: top producer Joan Harrison, award-winning film editor Barbara McLean, and Screen Writers Guild president Mary C. McCall Jr., among them. The incisive analysis of the political, social, and cultural factors that contributed to the end of the era and long-term recognition of these women is thought-provoking. Countless behind-the-scenes anecdotes, an overview of specific studios and productions, and fascinating biographical details are set in an informative historical framework.