Irving Thalberg facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Irving Thalberg
Irving Thalberg, c. 1930s
Born	Irving Grant Thalberg (1899-05-30)30 May 1899 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	September 14, 1936(1936-09-14) (aged 37) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Pneumonia
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California
Nationality	American
Occupation	Film producer
Years active	1921–1936
Spouse(s)	Norma Shearer ​ (m. 1927)​
Children	Irving Thalberg, Jr. (1930–1987) Katherine Thalberg (1935–2006)

Irving Grant Thalberg (May 30, 1899 – September 14, 1936) was a very important American film producer. He worked during the early days of movies. People called him "The Boy Wonder" because he was so young and good at making successful films. He was great at choosing stories, picking actors, and putting together the film crew.

Some of his famous movies include Grand Hotel, China Seas, Camille, Mutiny on the Bounty, and The Good Earth. His films were popular all over the world. They showed an exciting image of American life, full of energy and freedom.

Irving was born in Brooklyn, New York. As a child, he had a serious heart condition. Doctors thought he might not live past age thirty. After high school, he worked in a store. He also took night classes to learn typing. Later, he became a secretary at Universal Studios in New York. He then moved to Los Angeles to manage their studio. There, he helped make about 100 films in three years. One of these was The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

In Los Angeles, he teamed up with Louis B. Mayer. Their studio later joined with two others to create Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). In 1925, at just 26 years old, Irving became the head of production at MGM. He helped MGM become the most successful movie studio in Hollywood.

During his 12 years at MGM, he produced 400 films. He brought many new ideas to filmmaking. He held meetings with writers to discuss stories. He used "sneak previews" to get early feedback from audiences. He also often re-shot scenes to make films better. He even helped create the "Production Code". These were rules for what was considered morally acceptable in movies. Irving also helped bring stage plays and classic books to the big screen.

Irving Thalberg's Death

In 1936, Irving and his wife, Norma Shearer, went on a short vacation. They stayed at a hotel in Monterey, California. A few weeks before, a writer suggested making a movie based on a book called Gone With the Wind. Irving thought it would be a "sensational" movie. But he decided not to do it. He said he was too tired after making big films like Mutiny on the Bounty and The Good Earth. He also believed that Civil War movies never made much money.

Soon after returning home, Irving became very sick with pneumonia. His health got worse quickly. He needed an oxygen tent to help him breathe. He passed away the next morning at age 37.

When the news spread, the MGM studio was very sad. Work stopped, and many people cried. Stars, writers, directors, and other employees felt a great loss. They had all worked with him.

His funeral was held two days later. Other Hollywood studios stopped work for five minutes to honor him. The MGM studio closed for the entire day. Many famous people attended his funeral. These included Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, the Marx Brothers, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, and Mary Pickford. Clark Gable and Fredric March were among the ushers.

Irving Thalberg is buried in a special tomb in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. His wife, Norma Shearer, had his tomb engraved with "My Sweetheart Forever."

Many people shared their thoughts about Irving after he died. Louis B. Mayer, his partner at MGM, said he had lost "the finest friend." Other studio leaders also praised his talent and vision. President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "The world of art is poorer with the passing of Irving Thalberg."

Irving Thalberg's Legacy

Irving Thalberg's impact on the movie industry was huge. He introduced many new ways of making films. He often turned classic books and stage plays into popular movies. Because of him, American movies were very successful around the world for many years. Darryl F. Zanuck, who started 20th Century Fox, called him the "most creative producer in the history of films."

Most of MGM's big movies in the 1930s were shaped by Thalberg. He closely watched the making of more movies than any other producer in Hollywood. He was seen as the perfect example of a creative producer. After he died, The New York Times newspaper called him the "most important force" in the movie industry. They said he "set the pace and others followed" because his way brought together style, glamour, and profit.

Thalberg never took credit for his work as a producer. His name never appeared on screen while he was alive. He believed that "credit you give yourself is not worth having." His last film, The Good Earth (1937), was released after he passed away. It won many awards. The movie's opening screen credit was dedicated to him:

To the Memory of Irving Grant Thalberg – we dedicate this picture – his last great achievement.

In 1938, a new building at MGM in Culver City was named after Thalberg. The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award is also named for him. This award honors producers who consistently make excellent films.

Films Produced by Irving Thalberg

Images for kids

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  Lon Chaney in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)

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  Thalberg (left) with wife Norma Shearer, and Louis B. Mayer, 1932

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  Sid Grauman, Norma Shearer, and Thalberg, 1932

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  Scene from Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)

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  With his wife, actress Norma Shearer, July 1936

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  Thalberg's wedding in 1927 to Norma Shearer, with his parents and her mother shown

See also

In Spanish: Irving Thalberg para niños