The term “A-list” originated in the film industry to describe the most famous actors and directors. It has since become a common term to describe the preferred items in a given set. The system for indicating the financial value of actors was codified by James Ulmer in the 1980s, and his guide, The Hot List, is an essential tool in Hollywood’s deal-making process. Despite being proprietary, the term A-list has become part of the popular lexicon.
An A-list is a term applied to the top-rated people or items in a career, position, or other category. The phrase originates from a film industry trade publication that ranks the most famous actors and directors. Widely used in the entertainment press, the phrase A list has passed into common English usage to describe the preferred items in a given set. Similar terms, such as B-list to describe second picks, also originate in the film industry, but are widely applied elsewhere. In England, the phrase A list was used to describe a political movement in the mid-2000s.
In early Hollywood, actors and other directors worked under contract with major studios. After World War II, the American film industry gradually transitioned to a free agent system similar to that of major league athletes. The top movie stars could work for whichever studio or producer paid the most. Studio executives, in turn, needed a method for determining which stars were worth the highest salaries. The presence of a popular star increases the chances of a lucrative opening weekend, traditionally used as a measure of a film’s success.
In the 1980s, entertainment journalist James Ulmer codified a system for indicating the financial value, or bankability, of the most popular actors. As salaries of top actors have reached millions of US dollars per film, Ulmer’s guide, The Hot List, has become an essential tool in Hollywood’s deal-making process. Updated annually, The Hot List ranks actors in categories ranging from D to A, with the year’s most popular actors on the A list. In the 1990s and 2000s, the phrase A list and its variations moved rapidly into the mainstream. ‘popular use.
Despite this usage, Ulmer’s company points out that List A and its terms are proprietary—that is, part of the company’s intellectual property. This is because such general use can result in a company losing an important brand or slogan. Terms like aspirin, escalator, and zipper moved from legally protected trademarks to generic words during the 20th century. Companies representing brands like Band-Aids and Kleenex organize public awareness campaigns to prevent this natural speech process. Sometimes legal action is also needed.
However, the term A list is part of the popular 21st century lexicon. It is used synonymously with first class, a term for air and coach travel that has become the best in a particular category. While most often used of people, as in an A-list executor, it can refer to any item, such as an A-list property. Comedian and reality show host Kathy Griffin jokingly calls herself a D-list performer. In 2006, future British Prime Minister David Cameron created a list of current and potential political allies.
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