Independent Stardom: Female Film Stars and the Studio System in the 1930s.

An essay is presented which discusses contracts for actresses at motion picture studios in Hollywood, California during the 1930s. The author comments on actress Barbara Stanwyck's success in negotiating a higher salary through a contract dispute with film studios Warner Brothers and Columbia Pictures and notes how some actress remained independent by not signing long-term contracts. She discusses how magazines for motion picture fans offer information on actresses' business strategies.