Includes bibliographical references and index.

Peter Decherney tells the story of Hollywood, from its 19th-century origins to the emergence of internet media empires. He recounts how the studio system rose out of the ashes of Thomas Edison's trust to create the handful of companies that have dominated global screens and imaginations for more than 100 years, and reveals how the elements we take to be a natural part of the Hollywood experience - stars, genre-driven storytelling, blockbuster franchises, etc. - are really the product of cultural, political and commercial forces.