Sunset Boulevard (film)

:For the Broadway production see: Sunset Boulevard (musical).

Background

The street after which the film is named has been associated with Hollywood film production since 1911 when the town's first film studio opened on Sunset Boulevard. The film workers lived modestly in the growing neighborhood, but during the 1920s profits and salaries rose to unprecedented levels. With the advent of the "star system", luxurious homes noted for their often incongruous grandeur were built in the area. The stars were the subject of public fascination throughout the world as magazines and newspapers reported the excesses of their lives.

Related Topics:
1911 - 1920s - Star

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As a young man in Warsaw, Poland, Billy Wilder was interested in American culture, with much of his interest fueled by American films. By the late 1940s many of the grand Hollywood houses remained and Wilder, now a Los Angeles resident, found they were part of his everyday world. Many former stars from the silent era still lived in them, although most were no longer involved in the film business. Wilder wondered how they spent their time now that "the parade had passed them by" and began imagining the story of a star who has lost her celebrity and box-office appeal. {{mn|Perry|2}}

Related Topics:
Warsaw - Poland - Billy Wilder - American - 1940s

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