Editing Irving Thalberg (section)

== Career as producer ==
=== Universal Studios ===
He found work as an office secretary at Universal Pictures' New York office, and later became personal secretary to the studio's founder and president, [[Carl Laemmle]]. Among Thalberg's duties were transcribing and editing notes that Laemmle had written during screenings of his films. He earned $25 weekly, becoming adept at making insightful observations, which impressed Laemmle.

Laemmle took Thalberg to see his Los Angeles production facility, where he spent a month watching how movie production worked. Before returning to New York, Laemmle told Thalberg to remain and "keep an eye on things for me."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|7}} Two months later, Laemmle returned to California, partly to see how well Thalberg was able to handle the responsibilities he had been given. Thalberg gave him suggestions, and thus impressed Laemmle by his ability to understand and explain problems.<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|8}}

Thalberg suggested, "The first thing you should do is establish a new job of studio manager and give him the responsibility of watching day-to-day operations." Laemmle immediately agreed: "All right. You're it." In shock, Thalberg replied, "I'm what?" Laemmle told him to take charge of the Los Angeles studio, which he did in early 1919.<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|8}} When aged 20, Thalberg became responsible for immediately overseeing the nine ongoing film productions and nearly thirty scenarios then under development.<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|8}}

In describing the rationale for this early appointment as studio manager, film historian [[David Thomson (film critic)|David Thomson]] writes that his new job "owed nothing to nepotism, private wealth, or experience in the film industry." He reasons that despite "Thalberg's youth, modest education, and frail appearance ... it is clear that he had the charm, insight, and ability, or the appearance of it, to captivate the film world."<ref name=Thomson>Thomson, David. ''The New Biographical Dictionary of Film'', Alfred A. Knopf, New York (2002) pp. 867–868</ref>

Thalberg was one among the majority of Hollywood film industry workers who migrated from the East Coast, primarily from New York. Some film actors, such as [[Conrad Nagel]], did not like the five-day train trip or the sudden warmth of the California climate. Neither did [[Marion Davies]], who was not used to such "big wide spaces".<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|9}} [[Samuel Marx]], a close friend of Thalberg's from New York, recalled how easily Thalberg adapted to Southern California, often standing outside his doorway during moments of contemplation to enjoy the scenery. "We were all young", said comedian [[Buster Keaton]]. "The air in California was like wine. Our business was also young—and growing like nothing ever seen before."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|9}}

==== Confrontation with Erich von Stroheim ====
He quickly established his tenacity as he battled with well-known director [[Erich von Stroheim]] over the length of ''[[Foolish Wives]]'' (1922). Biographer Roland Flamini notes that the film was Universal's most expensive "jewel" ever in production, and its director and star, von Stroheim, was taking the film far over budget. Thalberg, now Universal's general manager, was forced to have the director quickly finalize production before the studio's working capital was used up. Flamini describes the situation:<ref name=Flamini>Flamini, Roland. ''Thalberg: The Last Tycoon and the World of M-G-M'', Crown (1994)</ref>{{rp|30}}

{{blockquote|The cost of that set alone had staggered Thalberg when he learned of it, but it was von Stroheim's obsessive spending on unnecessary detail that finally led to Thalberg's confrontation with the formidable director.}}

Thalberg had von Stroheim come to his office, which he did still wearing his film costume as a Russian Imperial Guard and escorted by members of his production team. Thalberg calmly told him, "I have seen all the film and you have all you need for the picture. I want you to stop shooting", to which von Stroheim replied, "But I have not finished as yet." "Yes, you have", said Thalberg. "You have spent all the money this company can afford. I cannot allow you to spend any more."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|13}}

Thalberg quietly explained that the director worked under the producer, and it was his responsibility to control costs. Von Stroheim, surrounded by his assistants, then confronted Thalberg: "If you were not my superior, I would smash you in the face." Thalberg, unflinching, said "Don't let that stop you."<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|32}} The result was that Thalberg soon afterward removed the cameras from von Stroheim's studio and took over editing. The uncut footage was pared down from five-and-a-half hours to three hours, to von Stroheim's deep dissatisfaction.

A similar problem developed with von Stroheim's next film, ''[[Merry-Go-Round (1923 film)|Merry-Go-Round]]'' (1923). Although he had promised Thalberg to remain within budget this time, he continued production until it went to twice the agreed length and was not yet near completion. Flamini speculates why this happened:

{{blockquote|Given his earlier problems with Thalberg, the director's behavior seemed suicidal. It's possible, however, that the idea of dismissal was simply unthinkable to him or that that he felt he could go over Thalberg's head to Laemmle, and the studio boss would surely want to keep his most prestigious director happy.<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|34}}}}

Thalberg again called von Stroheim to his office, handed him a long letter written and signed by himself, describing the problems, and summarily fired von Stroheim as of that moment. Thalberg's letter stated among the reasons,

<blockquote> totally inexcusable and repeated acts of insubordination ... extravagant ideas which you have been unwilling to sacrifice ... unnecessary delays ... and your apparent idea that you are greater and more powerful than the organization that employs you.<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|35}}</blockquote>

His dismissal of von Stroheim was considered an "earthquake in movie circles", notes Flamini. Producer [[David O. Selznick]] said that "it was the first time a director had been fired. It took great guts and courage ... Von Stroheim was utterly indifferent over money and could have gone on and spent millions, with nobody to stop him".<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|36}} The opinion was shared by director [[Rouben Mamoulian]], who said that the "little fellow at Universal", in one bold stroke, had "asserted the primacy of the studio over the director" and forever altered the balance of power in the movie industry.<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|36}}

==== Effects of his young age ====
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Thalberg-sitting.jpg|thumb|{{center|Thalberg, 1929}}]] -->
According to Flamini, his youth was a subject of conversation within the movie community. Executives from other studios, actors, and film crew, often mistook him to be a junior employee. Movie columnist [[Louella Parsons]], upon first being introduced to him, asked, "What's the joke? Where's the new general manager?" After five minutes of talking to Thalberg, however, she later wrote about "Universal's Boy Wonder": "He might be a boy in looks and age, but it was no child's mind that was being asked to cope with the intricate politics of Universal City."<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|37}} Novelist [[Edna Ferber]] responded the same way, writing that "I had fancied motion-picture producers as large gentlemen smoking oversized cigars. But this young man whose word seemed so final at Universal City ... impressed me deeply."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|9}}

The male actors in the studio had a similar reaction. [[Lionel Barrymore]], who was nearly twice his age, recalled their meetings:
{{blockquote|I used to go into his office with the feeling I was addressing a boy. In a moment, I would be the one who felt young and inexperienced. I would feel he was not one, but all the forty disciples.<ref name=Thomas>Thomas, Bob. ''Thalberg: Life and Legend'', New Millennium Press (1969)</ref>{{rp|39}}}}

Thalberg likewise gained the respect of leading playwrights, some of whom also looked down on him due to his youth. [[George S. Kaufman]], co-author of ''Dinner at Eight'', several Marx Brothers films, and two George Gershwin plays, came from New York to meet with Thalberg. Afterward he confided to his friend, [[Groucho Marx]]: "That man has never written a word, yet he can tell me exactly what to do with a story. I didn't know you had people like that out here."<ref name=Vieira />{{rp|189}}

Actress [[Norma Shearer]], whom he later married, was surprised after he greeted her at the door, then walked her to his office for her first job interview: "Then you're not the office boy?" she asked. He smiled, as he sat himself behind his desk: "No, Miss Shearer, I'm Irving Thalberg, vice-president of the Mayer Company. I'm the man who sent for you."<ref name=Thomas />{{rp|44}}

His younger-than-normal age for a studio executive was usually mentioned even after he left Universal to help start up MGM. Screenwriter [[Agnes Christine Johnson]], who worked with Thalberg for years, described his contribution during meetings:
{{blockquote|He's so marvelous that no one who doesn't know him can believe it. Seeing him sitting in with all the important people, looking such a boy, and deferred to by everybody, you'd think that either they were crazy or you were. But if you stayed and listened, you'd understand. He has a mind like a whip. Snap! He has an idea—the right idea—the only idea!<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|73}}}}

The same quality was observed by director and screenwriter [[Hobart Henley]]: "If something that read well in conference turns out not so good on the screen, I go to him and, like that—Henley snaps his fingers—he has a remedy. He's brilliant."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|74}} Another assistant producer to Thalberg explains:
{{blockquote|Irving had a sixth sense about a manuscript. He was a film doctor. You could go out [to a preview] with a film, and if there was something that didn't quite come off, he could put his finger on it. Some of the great films that came out of Metro were ''re''made at his suggestion. He had that uncanny ability.<ref name=Vieira />{{rp|59–60}}}}

His youth also contributed to his open-mindedness to the ideas of others. [[Conrad Nagel]], who starred in numerous Thalberg films, reported that Thalberg was generally empathetic to those he worked alongside: "Thalberg never raised his voice. He just looked into your eyes, spoke softly, and after a few minutes he cast a spell on you."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|74}} Studio attorney Edwin Loeb, who also worked to create [[AMPAS]], explained that "the real foundation of Irving's success was his ability to look at life through the eyes of any given person. He had a gift of [[empathy]], and almost complete perspective."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|74}} Those opinions were also shared by producer [[Walter Wanger]]: "You thought that you were talking to an Indian savant. He could cast a spell on anybody."<ref name=Hoberman />

His talent as a producer was enhanced by his "near-miraculous" powers of concentration, notes film critic [[J. Hoberman]].<ref name=Hoberman /> As a result, he was never bored or tired, and supplemented his spare time with reading for his own amusement, recalls screenwriter [[Bayard Veiller]], with some of his favorite authors being [[Francis Bacon]], [[Epictetus]], and [[Immanuel Kant]].<ref name=Hoberman />

==== Film projects at Universal ====
[[File:Hunchback -Notre Dame 1923.jpg|thumb|Lon Chaney in ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' (1923)]]
Biographer [[Bob Thomas (reporter)|Bob Thomas]] writes that after three years at the studio, Thalberg continually proved his value. Universal's pictures improved noticeably, primarily due to Thalberg's "uncanny sense of story." He took tight control over many key aspects of production, including his requirement that from then on scripts were tightly constructed before filming began, rather than during production. Thomas adds that he also "showed a remarkable capacity for working with actors, casting them aptly and advising them on their careers."<ref name=Thomas />{{rp|37}}

After producing two films that were in production when he began work at Universal, he presented Laemmle with his idea for a film based on one of his favorite classic stories, ''[[The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 film)|The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]''. Rather than just a horror picture, Thalberg suggested turning it into a spectacle which would include a replica of the [[Notre-Dame de Paris|Notre Dame Cathedral]] in Paris. He had [[Lon Chaney]] play the hunchback. The film became Universal's most profitable silent film and established Chaney's career as a top-flight star.<ref name=Thomas />{{rp|36}}

After nearly three years with Universal, Thalberg had supervised over a hundred movies, reorganized the studio to give more control to the managers, and had "stopped the defection" of many of their leading stars by offering them better, higher-paying contracts. He also produced a number of Universal's prestige films, which made the company profitable. However, he decided it was time to find a studio in Los Angeles more suitable to his skills, and spread word that he was available.<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|43}}

=== Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) ===
[[File:With Mayer-Shearer.jpg|thumb|Thalberg (left) with wife [[Norma Shearer]], and Louis B. Mayer, 1932]]
[[Cecil B. DeMille]] was the first who wanted to hire him, telling his partner [[Jesse Lasky]], "The boy is a genius. I can see it. I know it." Lasky opposed the hire, stating, "Geniuses we have all we need."<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|46}} Thalberg then received an offer from [[Hal Roach]], but the offer was withdrawn because Thalberg lacked experience with [[slapstick comedy]] films. In late 1922, Thalberg was introduced to [[Louis B. Mayer]], president of a small but dynamic and fast-growing studio. At that first meeting, Thalberg "made a deep, immediate impression on Mayer", writes Flamini. After Thalberg had left, Mayer said to studio attorney Edwin Loeb: "Tell him if he comes to work for me, I'll look after him as though he were my son."<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|46}}

Although their personalities were in many ways opposite, Mayer being more outspoken and nearly twice the younger man's age, Thalberg was hired as vice president in charge of production at [[Louis B. Mayer Productions]]. Years later, Mayer's daughter [[Irene Mayer Selznick]] recalled that "it was hard to believe anyone that boyish could be so important."<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|47}} According to Flamini, Thalberg was hired because, although Mayer was an astute businessman, "what he lacked was Thalberg's almost unerring ability to combine quality with commercial success, to bring artistic aspiration in line with the demands of the box office."<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|47}} Mayer's company subsequently merged with two others to become [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM), with the 24-year-old Thalberg made part-owner and accorded the same position as vice president in charge of production. Three years after the merger, MGM became the most successful studio in Hollywood.

During his twelve years at MGM, Thalberg supervised the production of over four hundred films. Although Thalberg and his colleagues at MGM knew he was "doomed" to not live much past the age of 30 due to heart disease, he loved producing films. He continued developing innovative ideas and overseeing most of MGM's pictures. Under Thalberg's management, MGM released over 40% more films yearly than [[Warner Brothers]], and more than double [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]]'s releases. From 1924 until 1936, when Thalberg died at the age of 37, "almost every film bore Thalberg's imprint", wrote Mark Vieira.<ref name=Vieira>Vieira, Mark A. ''Hollywood Dreams Made Real: Irving Thalberg and the Rise of M-G-M'', Abrams, New York (2008)</ref>{{rp|7}}

In the [[1934 California gubernatorial election]] Democratic [[Upton Sinclair]] ran against Republican [[Frank Merriam]], the latter of whom MGM supported. Thalberg was to lead MGM's anti-Sinclair campaign and the studio recruited [[Carey Wilson (writer)|Carey Wilson]] to create a series of anti-Sinclair propaganda films. These films, directed by [[Felix E. Feist]], included fake newsreels of Sinclair supporters who were portrayed as bums and criminals. They were shown in Californian movie theaters, with one episode featuring hired actors as Sinclair supporters speaking with foreign accents.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Critchlow |first1=Donald T. |title=When Hollywood Was Right How Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, and Big Business Remade American Politics |date=2013 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |pages=26–27}}</ref> Supposedly when one actor objected to the films Thalberg replied "Nothing is unfair in politics".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mattson |first1=Kevin |title=Upton Sinclair and the Other American Century |date=2006 |publisher=Turner Publishing Company |page=182}}</ref>

==== Production innovations ====
[[File:Thalberg-Shearer-Grauman-32.jpg|thumb|[[Sid Grauman]], Norma Shearer, and Thalberg, 1932]]
Thalberg's production techniques "broke new ground in filmmaking", adds Vieira. Among his contributions at MGM was his innovation of story conferences, sneak previews and scene retakes. He introduced the first horror films and coauthored the [[Production Code]], the set of moral guidelines that all film studios agreed to follow. Thalberg helped synthesize and merge the world of stage drama and literary classics with Hollywood films.<ref name=Vieira />{{rp|7}}

MGM thereby became the only movie studio to consistently show a profit during the [[Great Depression in the United States|Great Depression]].<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|6}} Flamini explains that the equation for MGM's success depended on combining stars, a Broadway hit or popular classic, and high standards of production. This combination at the time was considered a "revolutionary approach" in the film industry, which until then assumed a star was all that was needed for success, regardless of the story or production quality. The other studios began following MGM's lead with that same formula.<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|6}}

==== Production techniques ====
Thalberg generally followed a system in managing his productions. According to one of his assistants, [[Lawrence Weingarten]], who later became a producer, "Thalberg directed the film on paper, and then the director directed the film on film."<ref name=Vieira />{{rp|59}}

Thalberg was generally opposed to location shooting overseas where he could not oversee production and control costs, as happened with ''Ben Hur''. Thus, he kept hundreds of back-lot carpenters at work creating realistic sets, as he did for fifteenth-century ''[[Romeo and Juliet (1936 film)|Romeo and Juliet]]'' (1936), or with ''[[China Seas (film)|China Seas]]'' (1935), to replicate the harbors of Hong Kong.<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|9}}

Vieira points out that Thalberg's "fascination with Broadway plays" often had him create and present stories visually.<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|8}} For ''China Seas'', for instance, he described for the screenwriters, director and others, exactly how he wanted the film to appear on screen:
{{blockquote|I'd like to open this sequence on a roaring gale at sea. ... I think it might be better to open just prior to the storm—that awful calm before the storm ... and the typhoon hits and they go through all that hell, and the terrific tiredness after the fight is over—the weariness of Gaskell [Clark Gable], and from behind him this China woman comes and their affair [begins].}}

To be certain of achieving the desired effects, Thalberg made sure his [[cinematographer]]s were careful in their use of light and shadow. Vieira observes that "more than any other producer or any other studio, Thalberg and MGM manipulated lenses, filters, and lighting instruments to affect the viewer." As a result, he notes, "most of Thalberg's films contain moments such as these, in which cinematic technique transcends mere exposition and gives the viewer something to treasure."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|8–9}}

Thalberg was supported by most of the studio in these kinds of creative decisions. "It was a big family," notes Weingarten. "If we had a success, everybody—and I mean every cutter, every painter, every plasterer—was excited about it, was abuzz, was in a tizzy about the whole idea of picture making."<ref name=Vieira />{{rp|59}}

==== Taking risks with new subjects and stars ====
{{quote box|width=30em|bgcolor=cornsilk|align=right|fontsize=101%|salign=right|quote="A temperate man in all his ways of living, in this one respect he was an inveterate gambler. If he believed in a man, or a project, or a story, he would stake everything on his conviction. ... Everyone who worked for Thalberg loved him. He had the quality, rare among showmen, and precious among men, of standing back after an achievement and letting the other fellow take the credit ... he never wanted to be known as the big promoter. He just saw a little farther than most of the others, and trusted his vision, and worked like a laborer until it came true. ... What he also had was a great kindliness, a love for his work, workers, friends and audiences."|source= —[[C. A. Lejeune]], film critic of the London ''Observer''<ref name=Thomas />{{rp|295}}}}

In 1929, MGM released fifty films, and all but five showed a profit. Of those that failed, ''[[Hallelujah (film)|Hallelujah]]'' was also a gamble by Thalberg. When [[King Vidor]], the film's producer and director, proposed the idea to Thalberg of a major film cast, for the first time, exclusively with African Americans, he told Thalberg directly, "I doubt that it will make a dollar at the box office." Thalberg replied, "Don't worry about that. I've told you that MGM can afford an occasional experiment."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|105}}

By the early 1930s, a number of stars began failing at the box office, partly due to the Great Depression that was now undermining the economy, along with the public's ability to spend on entertainment. Thalberg began using two stars in a film, rather than one, as had been the tradition at all the studios, such as pairing [[Greta Garbo]] with [[John Gilbert (actor)|John Gilbert]], [[Clark Gable]] with [[Jean Harlow]], and [[William Powell]] with [[Myrna Loy]]. After experimenting with a few such films, including ''[[Mata Hari (1931 film)|Mata Hari]]'' (1931), which were profitable, he decided on a multi-star production of another Broadway play, ''[[Grand Hotel (1932 film)|Grand Hotel]]'' (1932). It had five major stars, including Garbo, [[Joan Crawford]], [[John Barrymore]], [[Lionel Barrymore]], and [[Wallace Beery]].<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|6}} "Before Thalberg," writes Vieira, "there was no ''Grand Hotel'' in the American consciousness."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|7}} The film won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1932.<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|167}}

Thalberg went against consensus and took another risk with ''[[The Great Ziegfeld]]'' (1936), costarring [[Luise Rainer]]. Although Louis B. Mayer did not want her in the role, which he felt was too minor for a new star, Thalberg felt that "only she could play the part", wrote biographer [[Charles Higham (biographer)|Charles Higham]].<ref name="Higham">Higham, Charles. ''Merchant of Dreams: Louis B. Mayer, M.G.M., and the Secret Hollywood'', Donald I. Fine, Inc. (1993)</ref>{{rp|240}} Shortly after shooting began in late 1935, doubts of Rainer's acting ability emerged in the press.<ref name="eyes">"Tantalizing Eyes Chief Appeal of Beautiful Luise Rainer" by Dan Thomas, ''[[Pittsburgh Press]]'', October 28, 1935, p. 14</ref> However, despite her limited appearances in the film, Rainer "so impressed audiences with one highly emotional scene" that she won the [[Academy Award for Best Actress]].<ref name=Affron>Affron, Charles, and Edelman, Rob. ''International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers,'' St. James Press (1997) pp. 997–999</ref>

After her winning role in ''The Great Ziegfeld'', Thalberg wanted her to play a role that was the opposite of her previous character, for ''[[The Good Earth (film)|The Good Earth]]'' (1937). For the part as a Chinese peasant, she was required to act totally subservient to her husband, being perpetually huddled in submission, and barely spoke a word of dialogue during the entire film. Rainer recalls that Mayer did not approve of the film being produced or her part in it: "He was horrified at Irving Thalberg's insistence for me to play O-lan, the poor uncomely little Chinese peasant."<ref name=Verswijver>Verswijver, Leo. ''Movies Were Always Magical'', McFarland Publ. (2003) p. 142</ref>{{rp|142}} However, she again won the Oscar for [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]], becoming the first actress to win two consecutive Oscars, a feat not matched until [[Katharine Hepburn]]'s two Oscar wins thirty years later.<ref name="Affron" />

==== Grooming new stars ====
Besides bringing a distinctive high quality "look" to MGM films and often recreating well-known stories or plays, Thalberg's actors themselves took on a characteristic quality. Thalberg wanted his female actors to appear "cool, classy and beautiful," notes Flamini. And he strove to make the male actors appear "worldly and in control." In general, Thalberg movies and actors came to be "luxurious," "glossy," and "technically flawless."<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|8}} By doing so, he made stars or boosted the careers of actors such as [[Lon Chaney]], [[Ramon Novarro]], [[John Gilbert (actor)|John Gilbert]], [[Greta Garbo]], [[Joan Crawford]], [[Clark Gable]], [[Helen Hayes]], [[Jean Harlow]], [[Marie Dressler]], [[Wallace Beery]], [[John Barrymore]], [[Lionel Barrymore]] and [[Luise Rainer]].<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|7}}

==== Greta Garbo ====
In 1925, a young [[Greta Garbo]], then twenty, and unable to speak any English, was brought over from Sweden at Mayer's request, as he saw how she looked in still photos. A Swedish friend thought he would help her by contacting Thalberg, who then agreed to give her a screen test. According to author Frederick Sands, "the result of the test was electrifying." Thalberg was impressed and began grooming the new starlet the following day: "the studio arranged to fix her teeth, made sure she lost weight, and gave her an English tutor."<ref name=Sands>Sands, Frederick. ''The Divine Garbo'', Grosset & Dunlap (1979) pp. 69–73</ref>

==== Joan Crawford ====
[[Joan Crawford]]'s first role was a Thalberg production at MGM and she became one of their leading stars for the next thirty years. Crawford was somewhat jealous of Norma Shearer as she thought she was given the better material by her husband Thalberg out of nepotism.<ref>J. Quirk, Lawrence; Schoell, William: Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography. p. 102.</ref> Nevertheless, she felt that his contribution to MGM was vital to the film industry. Not long after his early death, she recalls her concerns: "Thalberg was dead and the concept of the quality 'big' picture pretty much went out the window."<ref>Leider, Emily W. ''Myrna Loy: The Only Good Girl in Hollywood'', Univ. of California Press (2011) p. 184</ref>

==== Marie Dressler ====
Thalberg also realized that old stars few had heard of could be made into new ones. [[Marie Dressler]], a fifty-nine-year-old early [[vaudeville]] and movie star, who had played the top-billed lead, above [[Charles Chaplin]] and [[Mabel Normand]]), in the first feature-length comedy, ''[[Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914 film)|Tillie's Punctured Romance]]'' (1914), was unable to get any roles in films after leaving show business for some years, finally working as a maid. MGM screenwriter [[Frances Marion]] suggested to Thalberg that she might fit well in a starring role for a new film, and was surprised that he knew of her prior successes. Thalberg approved of using her without a screen test and offered his rationale:
{{blockquote|My theory is that anybody who once hits the bull's-eye—it doesn't matter in what profession—has the brains and stamina to stage a comeback. So I figure that a woman who held the spotlight for so many years has been the victim of bad writing—and probably a lot of bad advice.<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|72}}}}

By 1932, shortly before she died, Dressler was the country's number one box office star.

==== Wallace Beery ====
Marie Dressler was paired twice, in ''[[Min and Bill]]'' (1930) and ''[[Tugboat Annie]]'' (1933), with [[Wallace Beery]],  another major silent star who had been struggling to get work in sound pictures until Thalberg cast him. Beery had enjoyed a hugely successful silent film career dating back to 1913, but had been fired by [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] shortly after sound pictures appeared. Thalberg cast him in the role of "Machine Gun Butch," which had been meant for recently deceased [[Lon Chaney]], in ''[[The Big House (1930 film)|The Big House]]'' (1930), an energetic prison picture that became a huge hit. Beery was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] for his performance, and his burgeoning career at MGM had transformed him into the studio's highest paid actor within two more years, during which time he won the [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Oscar]] for ''[[The Champ (1931 film)|The Champ]]'' and had become a phenomenal box office draw as a result of Thalberg's foresight.

==== Getting audience feedback and reshooting ====
According to Vieira, MGM had few failures during this period, and numerous blockbusters. Among the reasons was Thalberg's unique system of developing a script during story conferences with writers before filming began, and later giving "sneak previews" followed by audience feedback through written questionnaires. Often, where he felt improvement was needed, he arranged for scenes to be reshot. As Thalberg once stated, "The difference between something good and something superior is often very small."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|50}}

==== Bad decisions and missed opportunities ====
Thalberg felt he had his "finger on the pulse of America. I know what people will do and what they won't do," he said.<ref name="friedrich1997">{{cite book | title=City of Nets: A Portrait of Hollywood in 1940s | publisher=University of California Press | author=Friedrich, Otto | year=1997 | edition=reprint | location=Berkeley and Los Angeles | pages=[https://archive.org/details/cityofnetsportra00frie/page/16 16–17] | isbn=0-520-20949-4 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/cityofnetsportra00frie/page/16 }}</ref> His judgment was not always accurate, however. Thalberg's bringing Broadway productions to the screen to develop higher picture standards sometimes resulted in "studied" acting or "stagey" sets, notes Flamini.<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|6}} In 1927, after the successful release of the first full-length talking picture, ''[[The Jazz Singer]]'' (1927), he nevertheless felt that talking pictures were a fad. Thalberg likewise did not think that color would replace black-and-white in movies.<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|71}}

When an assistant protested against a script that envisioned a love scene in Paris with an ocean background, Thalberg refused to make changes, saying "We can't cater to a handful of people who know Paris."{{r|friedrich1997}} A more serious distraction to Thalberg's efforts was his obsession with making his wife Norma Shearer a prominent star, efforts which sometimes led to "overblown and overglamorous" productions.<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|7}} Thalberg himself admitted to his obsession years later when he told a fellow producer: "You're behaving like I did with Norma. I knew positively that she could play anything. It's a kind of romantic astigmatism that attacks producers when they fall for an actress."<ref name=Vieira-1 />{{rp|201}}

==== Important films at MGM ====
===== ''Ben Hur'' (1925) =====
[[File:Ben Hur race.jpg|thumb|Scene from ''Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'' (1925)]]
One of the first pictures he took charge of, ''[[Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925 film)|Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ]]'', was inherited and already in production by another studio when MGM was formed. The film was turning into a disastrous expense with cost overruns already in the millions due to its lavish sets and location shooting in Rome. Most studio executives chose to terminate the film to cut their losses. Thalberg, however, felt differently, and thought the film would affect movie audiences, due to its classic literary source, and would highlight MGM as a major new studio.

He therefore discarded much of the original footage shot in Italy and recreated the set on MGM's back lots in Culver City, which added more millions to the production, yet gave him more control over production. The new set also included a replica of [[Circus Maximus]] for the dramatic chariot race scenes. Flamini notes that Thalberg's "gamble paid off," drawing international attention to MGM, and to Thalberg within the movie industry for his bold action.<ref name=Flamini />{{rp|5}}

===== ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1935) =====
''[[Mutiny on the Bounty (1935 film)|Mutiny on the Bounty]]'' was the studio's next most expensive film after ''Ben Hur'', with some now calling it "Thalberg's masterpiece."<ref name=examiner>Wiebe, Charles. "Mutiny on the Bounty: Irving Thalberg's Masterpiece", ''Examiner'', May 11, 2016</ref> He initially had difficulty convincing Mayer that he could make the film without making heroes of the mutineers. He achieved that by instead making a hero of the British Royal Navy, whereby the officers and shipmates would from then on display their mutual respect. Thalberg also had to convince Clark Gable to accept the role against his will. He pleaded with Gable, eventually promising him that "If it isn't one of your greatest successes, I'll never ask you again to play a part you don't want."<ref name=examiner /> The film's other main stars were [[Charles Laughton]] and [[Franchot Tone]]. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Actor, and winning it for Best Picture. Thalberg accepted the award as producer from [[Frank Capra]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUcBWCprqKI "''Mutiny on the Bounty'' wins the 1935 Academy Award for Best Picture"]</ref>

==== Thalberg and Mayer partnership ====
At first, Thalberg and studio chief [[Louis B. Mayer]] got along splendidly; however, they had different production philosophies. Thalberg preferred literary works, while Mayer preferred glitzy crowd-pleasing films. A clash was inevitable, and their relationship grew decidedly frosty. When Thalberg fell ill in the final weeks of 1932, Mayer took advantage of the situation and replaced him with [[David O. Selznick]] and [[Walter Wanger]]. Thalberg's reputation by that time for working long hours was widely known, and rumors about the related strain on his fragile health had become front-page news in entertainment trade publications. ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' in January 1933 updated its readership about his condition and addressed growing concerns that he might be forced, despite his young age, to quit the business:
{{blockquote|In an effort to quiet rumors zooming throughout the industry, indicating that Irving Thalberg would be compelled to retire permanently as production head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and take a long rest, a reporter from this publication got in touch with his physician yesterday for a statement as to the real condition of Mr. Thalberg. Dr. Philip Newmark stated:
<blockquote>Mr. Thalberg had a heavy attack of [[influenza]] that lasted several days and, although he was quite ill, he recovered nicely. However, he is far from being in good condition, he is all tired out and needs rest. I want him to take a rest for several weeks. I do not consider it necessary, at this time, to send him away, as he is quite comfortable at home.</blockquote>
Asked about the report that Thalberg had suffered a violent heart attack, Dr. Newmark replied: "Mr. Thalberg's heart has not been any too strong and that is another reason why I have insisted that he take a long rest.<ref>[http://archive.org/stream/hollywoodreporte1215wilk#page/n13/mode/2up "'Thalberg Needs Rest,' Declares His Physician"], ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (Los Angeles, California), January 5, 1933, pages 1-2. [[Internet Archive]], San Francisco, California. Retrieved August 20, 2018.</ref>}}

Once Thalberg recovered sufficiently from his bout with the "flu" and was able to return to work later in 1933, it was as one of MGM's unit producers, albeit one who had first choice on projects as well as preferential access to all the studio's resources, including over casting its stars. Thalberg's good relationship with [[Nicholas Schenck]], then president of [[Loews Cineplex Entertainment|Loew's Incorporated]], proved to be an ongoing advantage for him. Loew's was the corporate parent of MGM, so Schenck was the true power and ultimate arbiter at the studio; and he usually supported Thalberg's decisions and continued to do so whenever disagreements about projects or production needs arose. As a result, Thalberg also continued to produce or coproduce some of MGM's most prestigious and critically acclaimed ventures in this period, such as ''[[The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934 film)|The Barretts of Wimpole Street]]'' (1934) starring his wife Norma Shearer, ''[[China Seas (film)|China Seas]]'' (1935), ''[[A Night at the Opera (film)|A Night at the Opera]]'' (1935), ''[[San Francisco (1936 film)|San Francisco]]'' (1936), and ''[[Romeo and Juliet (1936 film)|Romeo and Juliet]]'' (1936).