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Vertical Integration during the Hollywood Studio Era

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  • F. Andrew Hanssen

Abstract

The Hollywood studio system--production, distribution, and exhibition vertically integrated--flourished until 1948, when the famous Paramount decision forced the divestiture of theater chains and the abandonment of a number of vertical practices. Although many of the banned practices have since been posited to have increased efficiency, evidence of an efficiency-enhancing rationale for theater ownership has not been presented. This paper explores the hypothesis that theater chain ownership promoted efficient ex post adjustment in the length of film runs--specifically, abbreviation of unexpectedly unpopular films. Extracontractual run-length adjustments are desirable because demand for a film is not revealed until the film is actually exhibited. The paper employs a unique data set of cinema booking sheets. It finds that run lengths for releases by vertically integrated film producers were significantly--economically and statistically--more likely to be altered ex post. The paper documents and discusses additional practices intended to promote flexibility.

Suggested Citation

  • F. Andrew Hanssen, 2010. "Vertical Integration during the Hollywood Studio Era," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 53(3), pages 519-543.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlawec:doi:10.1086/605567
    DOI: 10.1086/605567
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    Cited by:

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    2. Marissa Beck & Fiona Scott Morton, 2021. "Evaluating the Evidence on Vertical Mergers," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 59(2), pages 273-302, September.
    3. Hazlett, Thomas W., 2022. "Free speech and the challenge of efficiency," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(9).
    4. Thomas J. Miceli, 2022. "Investing in talent development: Theory and applications," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(6), pages 1641-1650, September.
    5. Jordi McKenzie, 2023. "The economics of movies (revisited): A survey of recent literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 480-525, April.
    6. Fleck, Robert K. & Hanssen, F. Andrew, 2016. "Persistence and change in age-specific gender gaps: Hollywood actors from the silent era onward," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 36-49.
    7. Henrekson, Magnus & Lakomaa, Erik & Sanandaji, Tino, 2021. "The Interaction of Schumpeterian Institutional Entrepreneurship and Hayekian Institutional Change in Innovative Industries," Working Paper Series 1409, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    8. Ricard Gil, 2015. "Does Vertical Integration Decrease Prices? Evidence from the Paramount Antitrust Case of 1948," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 7(2), pages 162-191, May.
    9. Thomas J. Miceli, 2020. "Financing Talent Development: The Baseball Reserve System and the Hollywood Star System," Working papers 2020-22, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    10. Thorsten Hennig-Thurau & S. Abraham Ravid & Olav Sorenson, 2021. "The Economics of Filmed Entertainment in the Digital Era," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 45(2), pages 157-170, June.
    11. F. Andrew Hanssen & James W. Meehan Jr & Thomas J. Miceli, 2016. "Explaining Changes in Organizational Form," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 17(6), pages 523-557, August.

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