Only the public can make a star. It's the studios who make a system out of it. Marilyn Monroe
Some stars are made by the public and some are the creations of, as Norma Desmond called them, "the masterminds." The Hollywood moguls of old liked to think that they had the power to create a star. Like Professor Henry Higgins, they imagined they could take the most improbable subject and transform him or her into someone the public would embrace.
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| By George, I really did it! |
Once they hit upon a winning formula, their instinct was to mass-produce like a factory. It usually didn't work. Copycat stars rarely step out of the shadows of the originals, but once in a while, one is individual enough to stake a claim of their very own.
Here a just a few of the originals and their imitators:
The Original: Charlie Chaplin
Chaplin's enormous popularity spawned quite a few imitators, including:
The Copies: Billy West
West's greatest fame lied in his uncanny impersonations of Charlie. Other than that, the rest of his career is merely a footnote.
Harold Lloyd
Yes, even the great Harold Lloyd started out as a copycat as "Lonesome Luke", a clear Chaplin rip-off. This always made Lloyd uncomfortable, and it wasn't until he hit upon his "glasses" character that his own genius was allowed to flourish (thank goodness!).
The Original: Rudolph Valentino
Valentino's popularity spawned a slew of exotic lovers, but none could touch the original.
The Copies: Ricardo Cortez
Ricardo (born Jacob Krantz) was totally manufactured star who managed to survive the Valentino craze and go on to have a respectable career in films before ditching them for a lucrative career on Wall Street.
Antonio Moreno
Best remembered as having "it" alongside Clara Bow, Moreno had a long, if unspectacular career.
Ramon Novarro
A copy with real staying power and star quality, Novarro inherited the mantel of "Latin Lover" after the death of Valentino. He had a long career and a legion of fans.
The Original: Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford was the most popular woman in the world during the peak of her stardom. While many tried to copy her, no one could come close.
The Copy: Mary Miles Minter
Mary Miles Minter gave Pickford a run for her money for a short while, but a lack of fire, real talent and her role in the William Desmond Taylor murder mystery put an end to her career.
The Original: Pola Negri
Pola was the original foreign exotic.
The Copy: Greta Garbo
Although Garbo was originally placed in Pola-like roles, she proved to be too much of an original. Before long, stars and studios were emulating Garbo, but by then she had established herself as beyond duplication.
The Original: Marlene Dietrich
They should have known better - you don't copy this!
The Copy: Anna Sten
Known as "Goldwyn's Folly," the beautiful Miss Sten was brought by Goldwyn to Hollywood as his studio version of the foreign exotic. Unfortunately for both, Miss Sten did not click with the public.
The Original: Ronald Colman
The perfect, cultured and romantic Englishman. This was such a popular "type" that many were needed to fill the role!
The Copy: Brian Aherne
Brian Aherne was a very respectable "second choice" Colman (he was awarded the starring role in "A Tale of Two Cities," but it was taken away from him when his friend Colman became available).
The Original: Errol Flynn
Looks alone did not define his appeal. Although others tried, Flynn's looks, talent, charisma and charm were a hard package to duplicate.
The Copy: Patric Knowles
Signed because of his resemblance to Errol, Patric never made it into the leading man category. Really, a passing resemblance, at best.
The Original: Freddie Bartholomew
This precocious little British boy was a huge star for a time.
The Copy: Roddy McDowell
Another case where the copy had more staying power than the original. While Freddie was usually an upper-crust kind of kid, Roddy was blue collar. And when Freddie grew up and went on to other things, Roddy stayed with us forever.
The Originals: Hope & Crosby
This stellar crooner and comic combination was a hit with the public.
The Copies: Morgan & Carson
Warner Bothers tried to duplicate the success of the "Road" pictures with the "Two Guys" series featuring crooner Morgan and comic Carson ("Two Guys From Texas," "Two Guys From Milwaukee," - you get the picture), but the chemistry between Bob and Bing could not be manufactured.
The Original: Marilyn Monroe
The one, the only. To this day, she is copied endlessly, but never duplicated.
The Copies: Jayne Mansfield
Mamie Van Doren
Sheree North
All three ladies were blonde, beautiful and talented. Some were more successful than others, but none came close to MM.
The Original: Grace Kelly
Cool, blonde, beautiful, talented, but with a warmth that set her apart.
The Copies: Dina Merrill
Talented and beautiful, for sure, but so cool she was chilly.
Tippi Hedren
Cool and lovely, but no Grace (sorry, Hitch).
The Original: Sophia Loren
This Italian sex-goddess inspired many copies, but Sophia had more than sexy going for her.
The Copy: Gina Lollobrigida
Turns out, Gina had more to offer than the Italian sex-bomb roles she was offered and turned to photojournalism for a second and rewarding career.
The Original: Robert Redford
This male blonde beauty look was all the rage in the '60s, but try as they might, Redford had that certain something that could not be duplicated.
The Copy: Nick Nolte
Hard to believe now, isn't it?
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then these originals should be blushing! As for those "masterminds" who think you can mass-produce a star - back to the drawing board.
For more fun movie facts and fantasy, check out "Flesh and Fantasy" by Penny Stallings and Howard Mandelbaum (I confess to being a bit of a copycat myself!). It's a very fun book!
