The Wampas Baby Stars: A Biographical Dictionary, 1922-1934

by Roy Liebman

Overview

In 1922, an early association of film publicists known as the Western Associated Motion Picture Advertisers (Wampas) hit upon a strategy to call attention to their organization and their industry. The group selected 13 young actresses with potential star power and promoted them heavily as "Baby" (meaning junior) Stars. Nearly 150 actresses were chosen during the program's existence, 1922-1934. To be selected a Wampas Baby Star soon became a much-sought honor in those days before the Academy Awards. While a few Baby Stars (Ginger Rogers, Joan Crawford) went on to superstardom and others enjoyed modest success, some failed to shine.

This book offers full biographical and career details on every actress selected as a Wampas Baby Star, with a list of the films in which she appeared.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786440610
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	02/11/2009
Pages:	286
Sales rank:	993,637
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Roy Liebman, formerly a librarian and film bibliographer at California State University, works at the Los Angeles Public Library. He is the author of several reference books on the cinema, published by McFarland. A book reviewer for Library Journal and Magill Online Reviews, he lives in California.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     
Introduction     
The Baby Star Roster, Year by Year     

The Wampas Baby Stars     

Appendix A: Wampas “Drop-Outs”     
Appendix B: Presidents of Wampas     
Appendix C: Wampas Baby Miscellany     
Appendix D: Rivals and Successors to Wampas     
Sources     
Index     

Editorial Reviews

revealing details...highly recommended”—ARBA; “exhaustive research...[a] delightful book”—The Silents Majority On-Line Journal; “offers full biographical details”—Classic Images; “giv[es] career details about every Wampas Baby Star”—Big Reel.

From the Publisher

From 1822 to 1934, almost 150 young actresses were honored as Wampas Baby Stars ("baby" meaning "junior") by the Western Associated Motion Picture Advertisers, an early association of film publicists. Each year, WAMPA would select at most thirteen young actresses to actively promote their organization. This book profiles each of the actresses through the years, some with photographs and all with a summary of their activities and a table of the films in which they appeared. Appendixes include additional information on the WAMPA organization, the actresses and the successors to the coveted Wampa Baby Star award. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

offers full biographical details

Classic Images

exhaustive research...[a] delightful book

The Silents Majority On-Line Journal

revealing details...highly recommended

ARBA