Post by kims on Dec 13, 2023 16:52:47 GMT
TCM has one of their original productions of this actor born in the Bahamas who acted and directed silent films. In this production the narrator says he had to perform on stage in blackface because audiences would not accept a light skinned person of color. None of similar shorts or documentaries ever seem to say who decided. Was one person responsible, was there any proof of assertions such as these. I saw a documentary about Garbo and there was a claim that Mayer said American men liked only skinny women, so she had to lose weight. Dietrich was told the same thing. Gable appears without an undershirt and people freak out? For decades men were no allowed to have chest hair on film. Who were these audiences who never saw a man's chest hair, a woman who was not skinny, people of all different skin tones, and married couples who did not sleep in the same bed. Blame some of it on the Hays Office, BUT really in the thirties all married men and women slept in separate beds?
I wish there was more research on who made decisions about what audiences would accept. What if it was only Mayer who like skinny women? What if it was only one vaudeville producer who thought Williams had to perform in blackface. I know of several stories that are still reported as fact by the so called reputable sources, that were debunked decades ago. How much research do you think was done about audience preferences?
I wish there was more research on who made decisions about what audiences would accept. What if it was only Mayer who like skinny women? What if it was only one vaudeville producer who thought Williams had to perform in blackface. I know of several stories that are still reported as fact by the so called reputable sources, that were debunked decades ago. How much research do you think was done about audience preferences?
