LIFE. Hollywood

In November 1936, publisher Henry R. Luce launched LIFE as a photo-led weekly news magazine with a clear purpose: “To see life; to see the world; to eyewitness great events.” Before readers’ attention was consumed by television, LIFE served as their window to the world, and by the late 1940s, it was being read by 1 in 3 Americans. Jean Harlow was the first movie star to appear on a LIFE cover in 1937, and from then until 1972 over 200 covers featured Hollywood-related subjects, illustrating the strength of the bond between LIFE and the film industry.