Carl Laemmle

Carl Laemmle was a German-American film producer and the co-founder and, until 1934, owner of Universal Pictures. He produced or worked on over 400 films, including classics such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and All Quiet on the Western Front. He was also known for his humanitarian efforts, such as helping hundreds of Jews escape Nazi Germany and sponsoring the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. He was regarded as one of the most important of the early film pioneers and a pioneer of the star system. He immigrated to the United States in 1884 and worked at various jobs in Chicago before opening a nickelodeon there in 1906 and becoming a leading film distributor. He founded the Independent Motion Picture Co. in 1909 and induced stars such as Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin to join him. He challenged the monopoly of the Motion Picture Patents Company and eventually merged with other independent producers to form Universal Film Manufacturing Company in 1912, later renamed Universal Pictures Company. He moved his studio to Hollywood in 1915 and built a large production facility that included a theme park for tourists. He was known for his nepotism and generosity, hiring many relatives and friends and giving them creative freedom. He also supported many social causes, such as women's suffrage, animal rights, and anti-war movements. He retired from the film industry in 1934 after selling his shares of Universal to Standard Capital Corporation. He died in 1939 at the age of 72 from cardiovascular disease.