The problem with Hurrell type hollywood lighting is several:

A. you have to have the lights, key light, secondary key, fill, separation
effects like hair light, kick light, splash light, skim etc (most times
several were used, I've seen as many as four, two were typical) and a
background and background effects light (a second spot light blasted through
a potted plant, though these days a coat hanger stretched out and wrapped in
silk flowers is used, this gives a mottled background highlights) basically
a minimum of four lights to 7 or so.

B. you need to know what you are doing, there are reasons a light from the
left or right is chosen, whether its a 'Rembrandt's or split light, whether
you pose the subject straight on, side view, which side? So you either
need a lot of natural instinct or learn a lot of rules.

C. you need to know your gear very well and can set up quickly, Hurrell had
a whole crew to set up lights, lots of modern photogs doing executive
portraits would use a stand in, as did hollywood when setting up lights so
the star didn't have to stand around for hours while the grips and light
techs got it set up. It ain't easy being treated like a piece of meat on
a grill for half an hour, then having to emote for the camera? That's the
biggest problem is keeping your client/subject's interest in the project
over the set up time.

I don't for a minute believe that Hurrell and others wouldn't have jumped at
the chance of using modern lighting gear. Don't forget, in those days there
were no soft lights, you needed a spot light to blast all the wattage power
you could get, and focus it into the smallest area, remember a one and two
thousand watt spot light was called an ace and baby deuce. A 500 watt
thing was called an inky, as in inky dinky little thing. They had slow
film, slow lenses and big cameras, 4x5 was a small camera, (roll film like
120 was classified as a miniature camera) they didn't have soft lights
cause the fabric at the time would have caught fire.

B&W work requires hard light with fill, not soft light. The poularity
of soft light in recent years is to be deplored. DON'T BE AFRAID OF
SHADOWS!

The average person can't stand harsh light when it comes to
portraiture. And you'll have trouble selling it to them. On the
whole, soft is better. You can still have a lighting ratio with soft
light.



Soft lighting should be used only for little old ladies. It's a
cop-out otherwise. Look at Hurrell's stuff:

http://www.lafterhall.com/hurrell.html

In particular, note:

http://www.lafterhall.com/cagneysm.jpg
http://www.lafterhall.com/coopersm.jpg
http://www.lafterhall.com/boyersm.jpg
http://www.lafterhall.com/johnsm.jpg
http://www.lafterhall.com/taylorsm.jpg
http://www.lafterhall.com/rolandsm.jpg
http://www.lafterhall.com/bogartlg.jpg
http://www.lafterhall.com/katesm.jpg