During the nickelodeon era, the star system had rapidly established itself in the American motion-picture industry. After watching the growing popularity of Florence Lawrence and Mary Pickford, Carl Laemmle lured them to his IMP Company with greater salaries and the promise of wide publicity. He was not alone. Soon other producers had entered the star search, working actively through fan magazines and other promotional media to familiarize audiences with their players. Favorite actors and actresses, firmly identified with their employers' corporate trademarks, were used to help establish product loyalty. Thus, a fan-magazine popularity poll published in October 1914 was careful to list the appropriate studio along with each star:

1. Earle Williams (Vitagraph)
2. Clara Kimball Young (Vitagraph)
3. Mary Pickford (Famous Players)
4. J. Warren Kerrigan (Universal)
5. Mary Fuller (Universal)
6. Marguerite Clayton (Essanay)
7. Arthur Johnson (Lubin)
8. Alice Joyce (Kalem)
9. Carlyle Blackwell (Alco)
10. Francis X. Bushman (Essanay)¹

At the very beginning...