In this official centennial history of the greatest studio in
Hollywood, unforgettable stars, untold stories, and rare images from the
Warner Bros. vault bring a century of entertainment to vivid life.
The history of Warner Bros. is not just the tale of a legendary film
studio and its stars, but of classic Hollywood itself, as well as a
portrait of America in the last century. It's a family story of
Polish-Jewish immigrants--the brothers Warner--who took advantage of new
opportunities in the burgeoning film industry at a time when four
mavericks could invent ways of operating, of warding off government
regulation, and of keeping audiences coming back for more during some of
the nation's darkest days.
Innovation was key to their early success. Four years after its
founding, the studio revolutionized moviemaking by introducing sound in
The Jazz Singer (1927). Stars and stories gave Warner Bros. its
distinct identity as the studio where tough guys like Humphrey Bogart
and strong women like Bette Davis kept people on the edge of their
seats. Over the years, these acclaimed actors and countless others made
magic on WB's soundstages and were responsible for such diverse classics
as Casablanca, A Streetcar Named Desire, A Star Is Born, Bonnie &
Clyde, Malcolm X, Caddyshack, Purple Rain, and hundreds more.
It's the studio that put noir in film with The Maltese Falcon and
other classics of the genre, where the iconic Looney Tunes were
unleashed on animation, and the studio that took an unpopular stance at
the start of World War II by producing anti-Nazi films. Counter-culture
hits like A Clockwork Orange and The Exorcist carried the studio
through the 1970s and '80s. Franchise phenomena like Harry Potter, the
DC universe, and more continue to shape a cinematic vision and longevity
that is unparalleled in the annals of film history. These stories and
more are chronicled in this comprehensive and stunning volume.
Copyright (c) 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
