HOW TO SHOW BIZ? WE ASKED HOLLYWOOD EXPERTS

Careers in the entertainment industry can be mysterious for those just starting out, and even for those working in the business.

Actor Randall Park says that when he decided he wanted to pursue Hollywood in the early 2000s, people would tell him to go to Samuel French Film & Theatre Bookshop.

“If you were an actor in Los Angeles, that was the place you went if you wanted to get any information,” he says.

The first Samuel French L.A. store was founded in 1929 downtown and moved to Hollywood in 1947. Until the 1970s, its L.A. operations sold and licensed plays in the region.

The shop also came to offer resources for people interested in pursuing a Hollywood career. It sold books of plays that actors could use for audition monologues; biographies of entertainment figures; how-to guides on various aspects of moviemaking; and listings of agents and casting and production companies.

Former general manager Joyce Mehess, who worked at Samuel French off and on from 1991 until its closure two years ago, remembers Park coming into the store before he was famous. She says she feels so happy whenever she sees him on her television screen.

So many celebrities came through the bookshop, she says.

“A lot of people thought we were an agency. And we’d say, ‘No, we’re an information center. I can give you a listing. I can give you a play that might fit the type you are, and you can research it from there,’ ” Mehess says.

“‘You can certainly ask questions; I’ll be at my desk. And maybe a big star might walk by and inspire you.’ ”

Providing inspiration and community was Mehess’ mission for the store. It wasn’t just about selling books, it was about encouraging nervous newcomers to make those phone calls, take those chances.

But Samuel French closed in March 2019. Concord Music acquired it as part of the company’s foray into theater. At the time, a petition trying to save the bookstore collected almost 8,000 signatures. The space has been empty for the last two years.

“There really was a hole created when that bookstore closed,” Park says.

Though there are numerous resources online, it’s hard, he says, for newcomers to find the right advice.

For this guide, we turned to experts in all areas of the entertainment business. They shared strategies for starting a Hollywood career — from avoiding scams to the ins and outs of becoming a TV writer. In the coming weeks, look for more installments of this series at latimes.com/hollywood careerguide.