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As a sort of palate-cleanser from the last Mogul Monday *ahem*, we decided to talk about one of the "nice guys" in Old Hollywood. In an industry where most of the moguls were busy trying to backstab each other, no one seemed to have anything negative to say about good ol' Carl - which is a legacy in itself!
1867 - 1939
"My success is neither luck nor happenstance"
Yes, this is his signature ^
Carl Laemmle was born in Germany to a Jewish family. Although he had both parents, Carl was much closer to his mom. At age 13, he was apprenticed at a business 5 hours from home - which was very difficult for him. As a young man, Carl began thinking about moving to the U.S., but his mom made him promise not to leave Germany as long as she was alive. In 1883, she passed away suddenly, and Carl decided it was "time". He followed his older brother, Joseph, to America.
Unlike most of the other immigrant mogul stories, Carl did not find success through his hard work. He tried many things - and failed at all of them! Oh, Carl... For many years, he went from job to job, losing each one. New York, South Dakota, Illinois, all over the place. His longest job was 4 years, as a clerk in a jewelry store. By now, Carl was now 27 years old. Something's gotta give, Carl...
A friend of Carl's suggested he join him in working at a clothing store in Wisconsin. Carl began as a bookkeeper - and 12 years later (yes 12, count 'em), he was manager of the branch! He had also gotten married to the owner's daughter. Just sayin'. But Carl felt that he should get a raise, so he went to Chicago to ask his boss about it personally. Somehow, the two men got into an argument, and Carl ended up resigning in the heat of the moment!
Taking advice from a business associate, Carl decided to make a change for himself. After considering a few other options, he found himself drawn to a new, novel fad that was gaining popularity: moving pictures! Carl noticed the staggering amount of people going into the shows, and even estimated how much money the theater was making! Yessir. Movies were "it". His friends, however, were not sold. The movies were still seen as a sort of passing trend, a toy to be discarded after a while - an embarrassment, and certainly not a respectable business to invest in! A century later, the same attitude was taken about a website called "YouTube". But that's none of my business...
Movie theaters in the 1900s were considered immoral (generally speaking), because many of them were makeshift rooms - cramped, dark, crowded - and the tickets were cheap! Naturally, word began to circulate that these were sinful places to go, and "respectable" people should avoid them. Most theater owners didn't care what was being said, but Carl took note. When he opened his first theater in 1906 - one of Chicago's first movie theaters, by the way - he made it a point to present a clean, wholesome, "family friendly" environment (much like Louis B. Mayer did). At the age of 40, Carl finally found success.
Carl Jr. and Carl Sr. (year unknown)
Well, running (now 2) theaters eventually led to running a film exchange (a business that bought films and rented them out to theaters). The film exchange was even more successful than his theaters, and it expanded so fast that by 1909, Laemmle Film Service was the largest distributor in America. Go, Carl! But...the power-hungry Thomas Edison soon emerged as the (self-appointed) boss of the film industry, and made it known that anyone who made or showed movies had to pay him a fee. Not kidding. Thomas felt he was entitled to it, because he and his buddies in the Motion Picture Patents Company held the patents on cameras, film and projectors. All of the U.S. was "his domain". Or so he thought...
Carl was miffed. And for a while, he struggled with the idea of challenging the indominable Thomas Edison. Because, well - THOMAS EDISON. But eventually, Carl found his nerve and decided NOT to pay the fee, but to show foreign films (outside of the Edison's jurisdiction) - and films from any independent companies in the U.S. who refused to be manipulated. He and his business partner launched a campaign in the trade papers, urging others to go independent and fight against "the man". The line. Was drawn. And Carl...became a sensation. It seems that TONS of indie exhibitors and filmmakers were on his side, and he suddenly had more business than he knew what to do with!
An ad for one of Carl's 1920 films
Well, after an intense season of legal battles (and the fees involved), bullying and intimidation by the Patents Company - Carl and his independents were in the lead! And, although he had no previous intention of doing so, Carl found himself producing films. There just weren't enough European and indie films to go around to all of his customers - so what else could he do? Although the Patents Company tried to interfere (remember, they had patents on the cameras!), Carl's company persisted - even resorting to hiding the camera in an icebox at one point! He nicknamed his new production company "IMP", short for Independent Motion Picture Company of America. Carl promised his exhibitors: "The grandest, American-made moving pictures you ever saw!"
Eventually, Carl and his independent associates formed a new distribution company, and in the midst of a meeting, Carl turned from gazing out the window...
"I've got the name. Universal. That's what we're supplying - universal entertainment for the universe."
The name stuck, but later on, Carl confessed his true inspiration for the name. As he was looking out that window, he saw a truck driving by. Painted on the side: UNIVERSAL PIPE FITTINGS.
Even among the independent crowd, there was fighting among the ranks. Carl and his rival-partner had some pretty intense battles regarding studio business - even the police had to get involved! But when things finally settled down, Carl was the boss - and Universal Studios established a quite name for itself in New York City. He remained there for most of the 1920s, being the last mogul to relocate to good ol' Hollywood. In 1926, he and his 2 children, Rosabelle (who was once engaged to Irving Thalberg) and Carl Jr., moved to California, where he'd built a new studio. His wife had sadly passed away in 1919, due to the influenza pandemic.
ABOVE & BELOW: Original posters from 2 Universal hits: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and The Man Who Laughs (1928). Scary movies became a trademark for Universal!
Carl was generally known by everyone on the studio lot as "Uncle Carl", a small man with a big smile and a great sense of humor. He is said to have treated everyone like "someone", and was always warm and friendly. He was also especially fond of hiring relatives and friends of the family (hence the "Uncle" Carl)! In the 1930s, Carl personally sponsored many Jewish immigrants from his hometown in Germany to come to America, essentially saving them from the impending Holocaust. He also sent supplies to help the villagers after World War 2 destroyed much of his hometown.
Louis B. Mayer presenting Carl an Oscar in 1930
In the mid-1930s, Universal had a hostile takeover and Carl (along with his son Junior, who was involved in production by now) were removed from the company. Carl decided to retire, and was content to live somewhat secluded but filled with many great memories from his time in the motion picture industry. In 1939, he passed away from cardiovascular disease, survived by his 2 children - and an enduring legacy as one of the few "nice guys" in a dog-eat-dog industry. View one of his masterpieces (The Phantom of the Opera - 1925) below!
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