Hollywood during the 1930's developed a complex star system to balance the economic needs of the time. Studios took the role of star-controllers in that they commanded control over almost every aspect of the star's career. The financial stability of the American film industry during the depression rested on the success and popularity of the stars. Studios, therefore, were not just in the business of producing movies, they were also in the business of producing stars as their main weapon against the crippling economic situation of the times.