Reading rank 338
Hollywood Rajah: The Life and Times of Louis B. Mayer
, subject: Louis B. Mayer and MGM Studios, 1960
Louis B. Mayer kept faith in MGM when rivals gave it even odds of surviving, then was forced to resign after putting ego and credit ahead of the organization.
58
Coverage Score
3
Scored evidence
About the book
Crowther traces Mayer from film exhibition and production to MGM, focusing on the executive's power, management, and place in Hollywood's studio era.
Why read it
Best if you want a founder story that weighs optimism and a hunger for market approval against the ego and demand for credit that eventually forced Mayer out.
Key themes
- When incumbents misread a new medium
- Makers who sell their own work
- Optimism, ego and the demand for credit
Evidence and original sources
Sources: official Founders episodes — #173, #230
This record is supported by 15 public evidence rows linked to original Founders episodes.
- Louis B. Mayer (MGM Studios) — David introduces Hollywood Rajah: The Life and Times of Louis B. Mayer by Bosley Crowther (1960) as this episode's main source.
- Lucille Ball (TV's biggest star) — David points listeners to Episode 173 and The Life and Times of Louis B. Mayer while applying its studio-power context to Lucille Ball's career.