Dear Screen-L scholars, I am writing a book about typecasting and making links between theatrical traditions of typecasting and filmic versions (typage, stars as types, character actors as types, etc.). I am especially interested in 18th and 19th century practices of typecasting in stock companies as models for cinema. Numerous authors mention the formation of stock companies in early film and link this development to the rise of the studio system and increased rationalization of the industry during the nickelodeon boom. However, nobody that I have read so far (Musser, DeCordova, Pearson, Kozarski) explains how the stock companies actually worked. If any of you know resources (articles or primary sources) that would tell me about how the companies were structured, casting practices, etc, I'd appreciate it. Also, if there are good materials on the rise of casting agents and directors, I'd be interested in those as well. Thanks very much, Pam Robertson Wojcik [log in to unmask] ---- For past messages, visit the Screen-L Archives: http://bama.ua.edu/archives/screen-l.html