When Metro-Goldwyn Mayer opened its doors in 1924, computers were still decades from being invented. Instead, studio accountants kept track of the weekly payroll for all employees, from the studio head to the seamstresses and candy sellers, in a series of huge ledgers we spotlight today in The Money Behind the Movies:
This inside look at the original ledgers still surviving from the 1921-1926 era reveals some familiar names from movie history, starting with the studio boss, Louis B. Mayer, who established the star system that ruled Hollywood for decades and earned $2,000 per week (Fig. 1)
And eagle-eyed movie fans might recognize the third name on this list of the studio's stock talent from 1926
The actress listed here as Lucille LeSueur joined MGM in 1924 for $75 a week and made her way up here to $250, but the head of publicity felt her name sounded too much like "Le Sewer" (Fig. 2). A movie magazine contest was held, and fans gave her a new name that led to stardom: Joan Crawford.
And if you think the debates about the economy's 99% are anything new, take a look at the lower end of the pay spectrum with this list of the studio's other staff (Fig. 3), including seamstresses, the maid, and a sketch artist
Fig. 1: Louis B. Mayer ledgerClick image to enlarge
Fig. 2: Joan Crawford ledgerClick image to enlarge
Fig. 3: Weekly PayrollClick image to enlarge
Finally, MGM was ahead of the curve in one surprising respect – its staff of writers included a large percentage of women, and in fact, its two highest-paid writers in 1926 were female:
All images courtesy of the Margaret Herrick Library's Special Collections, available for viewing by appointment.
If you could have any job in Hollywood, what would it be? Tell us in the comments below:
