FAN CULTURE AND OBSESSION

Fan culture : Actors were larger than life on screen; even in film's early days, it seemed natural for them to assume a larger than life significance in the eyes of their fans. The actors became " stars ," and publishers issued fan magazines to satisfy public curiosity about stars' likes, dislikes, hobbies, and idiosyncrasies. Fan magazines fueled a new kind of consumerism, with stars touting everything from fashion to whiskey.

Obsession Following the appearance of the first fan magazine, Motion Picture Story in 1911, the popularity of movie publications skyrocketed. Within a decade, dozens of magazines hit the stands, including Photoplay and Motion Picture Classic . It was the beginning of an obsession with celebrity that continues today, feeding and defining the fantasies and aspirations of millions of people worldwide.