The star system of classical Hollywood was quite unique, and unlikely to ever reappear. Though they were ‘stars’, Hollywood basically owned that talent by way of contracts. Often times this allowed the studios to orchestrate the lives of stars for the sake of profit. The studios would create romances for their stars, limit their public appearances, and basically control their lives.
This affected movies in the way that stars became little more than studio branded products and thereby highly predictable. The audience knew what to expect solely by the featured star. John Wayne movies tended to be westerns or war stories, Sinatra and Crosby became known for musicals, and one could expect Bogart films to be crime related. These typecasts made the production of films rely heavily on who was in it.
An example of this is Shirley Temple. She was molded by the powers of classical Hollywood to be the musical child hero. Before even entering the theater, the audience knew that Temple was going to save the day and do so in song. That concept still exists today, but it is no longer as binding. Now-a-days stars can cross genre; like Jim Carrey in the Majestic or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Images from:
http://www.celebritywonder.com/wallpaper/Jim_Carrey_in_Eternal_Sunshine_of_the_Spotless_Mind_Wallpaper_2_1024.html
http://www.realbollywood.com/news/2010/08/classic-hollywood-captured-magnum-lens-india.html
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