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As the leading fan magazine in the postwar era, Photoplay constructed female stars as social types who embodied a romantic and leisured California lifestyle. Addressing working- and lower-middle-class readers who were prospering in the first mass consumption society, the magazine published not only publicity stories but also beauty secrets, fashion layouts, interior design tips, recipes, advice columns, and vacation guides. Postwar femininity was constructed in terms of access to commodities in suburban houses as the site of family togetherness. As the decade progressed, however, changing social mores regarding female identity and behavior eroded the relationship between idolized stars and worshipful fans. When the magazine adopted tabloid conventions to report sex scandals like the Debbie-Eddie-Liz affair, stars were demystified and fans became scandalmongers. But the construction of female identity based on goods and performance that resulted in unstable, fragmented selves remains a legacy evident in postmodern culture today.

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General Introduction: Fan Magazines, Suburban America, and Consumer Goods PART I: THE STARS Introduction: The Stars 1. Esther Williams: The Million Dollar Mermaid as the Girl Next Door 2. Doris Day: The Big Band Singer as the Girl Next Door 3. Debbie Reynolds: The Suburban Teenager as the Girl Next Door 4. Susan Hayward: The Gal from Brooklyn as a Fiery Redhead 5. Grace Kelly: The Philadelphia Socialite as the Princess of Monaco 6. Audrey Hepburn: The Gamine As a Givenchy Fashion Plate 7. Marilyn Monroe: The Playboy Centerfold as a Sex Symbol 8. Kim Novak: Miss ´Deep Freeze´ as Columbia´s Lavender Blonde 9. Natalie Wood: The Rebellious Teenager as a Junior Femme Fatale 10. Elizabeth Taylor: A Superstar as the World´s Most Beautiful Woman Conclusion: The Stars PART II: THE FANS Introduction: The Fans 11. Advertisements for Movie Star Glamour and Romance 12. Self-Making with Beauty Tips and ´Photoplay Fashions´ 13. Starring in Photoplay Dream and Story-Book Houses 14. Advice Columns for Readers in Search of Romance 15. Contests, Gold Medal Awards, Commodity Fetishism, and Southern California Tourism Conclusion: The Stars

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Sumiko Higashi is Professor Emerita at The College at Brockport, SUNY, USA.

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