The world film encyclopedia (1933)

other Film Personalities (JOH-LAS) 213 JOHNSTON, W. Ray. B. Bristow, Iowa, 1892. Ed. High School in Janesville ; College of Commerce, Waterloo, Iowa. Began his career as a reporter on the " Waterloo Daily Reporter," remaining there for several months before turning his attention to banking and real estate. Pursued these occupations for some time, until, at the age of twenty-two, he met Wilbert Shallenberger, who later organized the Arrow Film Corporation. Johnston was engaged as secretary, and was given charge of almost every studio and distribution activity. The position of treasurer followed this and soon after the presidency of Big Productions Film Corporation. His activities in connection with film production did not prevent him from interesting himself in several theatres. After a time, rejoined Arrow Film Corporation and, soon after, was elected vice-president, a position which he held until 1924, when he organized and became president of Rayart Pictures .Corporation. KENT, Sidney R. President Fox Film Corporation. LAEMMLE, Carl. B. Lauphein, Germany, Jan. 17, 1867. Grey hair, blue eyes. Ht. 5 ft. 2 in. Wt. 10 st. Ed. Germany. JNI. Recha Stern. Has had a very long and eventful career in America, worldng his way up to his present position from that of a bookkeeper in a New York drug store. It is said that he laid the foundation of his present position by the foresight he displayed in buying a cinema in Chicago, February 24, 1906. The purchase of other cinemas quickly followed. Released his first picture, Hiawatha, 989 feet in length, in April, 1909. Love's Stratager,i, the second one, 954 feet long, followed soon after. In JNIay, 1912, Laemmle, R. H. Cochrane, Charles Bauman, David Horsley, P. A. Powell and W. H. Swanson combined their interests and formed Universal Film Manufacturing Company, with offices at i. Union Square, New York City. Later that year Laemmle visited Europe and opened his first independent foreign agency. Soon after he and Cochrane bought out P. A. Powell and obtained control of Universal, moving their offices in 1924 to their present quarters in Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. In 1926, was stricken with appendicitis on board the Berengaria ; an operation followed immediately after in London. On the anniversary of his sixtieth birthday, he was honoured by a" demonstration which included most of Hollywood's celebrities, among them Mary Pickford, who worked for him early in her career. His film All Quiet on the Western Front was awarded almost every known prize for films in America and in Europe, including the gold statuette of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the " Film Daily " poll, the Gold Medal of the Faculty of Arts, London, and the Photoplay Magazine Gold INIedal. Becoming a grandfather in 1930, his nickname was changed from " Uncle Carl " to " Granddaddy Carl." In February, 1931, on the occasion of his silver jubilee in the business, a bound volume of letters received from exhibitors was presented to him in Holljrvvood ; and a biography by John Drinkwater w-as published in England by Heinemann. LAEMMLE, Carl, Jun. B. Chicago, 111., April 28, 1908. Ed. Boarding school. New York ; Clark School. Entered the motion picture business soon after gi-aduating from college and by his early efforts prompted his father to assign to him in 1929 the position of general manager in complete charge of all Universal productions. Was responsible during the early part of his career for the Universal Junior Jewel series which produced the Collegian series, with George Lewis as the star. Among the films which later came under his supervision are King of Jazz, Draciila, Frankenstein, All Quiet on the Western Front and Waterloo Bridge. LASKY, Jesse L. B. San Francisco, Cal. Ed. High School, San Francisco. Was one of the first men from the West Coast to join the gold rush to Alaska and one of the first hundred to reach Nome. Previously, however, he had been a reporter on a San Francisco newspaper. On his return from Alaska, finding nothing better to do, he became a musician and leader of the Royal Hawaiian Band of Honolulu. Later he presented a number of musical acts on the stage. In 1914 associated himself with Samuel Goldwyn and Cecil B. De Mille in organizing Jesse L. Lasky Feature Player Company and immediately began producing the then well-known Belasco dramas, among them Rose of the Rancho, Girl of the Golden West and Warrens of Virginia. Among the players who appeared for him in those early days were Blanche Sweet, House Peters, Ina Claire, Fanny Ward, Carlisle Blackwell and Geraldine Farrar. When, in July, 1916, Famous Players Film Company