Jesse L. Lasky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jesse L. Lasky
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Lasky in 1915
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Jesse Louis Lasky
September 13, 1880 |
| Died | January 13, 1958 (aged 77) |
| Resting place | Hollywood Forever Cemetery |
| Occupation | Film producer |
| Spouse(s) | Bessie Mona Ginsberg Lasky |
| Children | 3, including Jesse Jr. and Betty |
| Relatives | Samuel Goldwyn (former brother-in-law), Mervyn LeRoy (cousin) |
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Jesse Louis Lasky (born September 13, 1880 – died January 13, 1958) was an important American film producer. He helped start one of the biggest movie studios, which later became Paramount Pictures. He was also the father of screenwriter Jesse L. Lasky Jr..
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Early Life and Entertainment Beginnings
Jesse Lasky was born in San Francisco, California. He tried different jobs before starting his career in entertainment. He began as a vaudeville performer, playing the cornet. He performed in a musical act with his sister, Blanche.
Starting a Film Career
In 1911, Lasky produced two musicals on Broadway: Hello, Paris and A La Broadway. He met Cecil B. DeMille through DeMille's mother, Beatrice, who also produced plays. This meeting would change movie history.
Forming the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company
In 1913, Jesse Lasky, his sister Blanche's husband Samuel Goldwyn, DeMille, and Oscar Apfel created a new company. They called it the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company. Lasky was the president of this new company.
They didn't have much money, so they rented a barn near Los Angeles. In this barn, they made Hollywood's very first feature film. This movie was DeMille's The Squaw Man, and it was a big success! Today, this barn is known as the Lasky-DeMille Barn. It is now home to the Hollywood Heritage Museum.
The studio made many other films, including:
- Brewster's Millions (1914)
- The Cheat (1915)
- Carmen (1915)
- The Bottle Imp (1917)
Creating Famous Players-Lasky
In 1916, Lasky's company joined with Adolph Zukor's company, Famous Players Film Company. Together, they formed the Famous Players–Lasky Corporation. Zukor became the president, and Lasky was the vice-president in charge of making movies.
In 1920, Famous Players-Lasky built a large studio in Astoria, New York. This studio is now called the Kaufman Astoria Studios.
Lasky helped produce many famous films, such as:
- What Every Woman Knows (1921)
- The Covered Wagon (1923)
- Beau Geste (1926)
- Wings (1927)
In September 1927, Famous Players-Lasky changed its name. It became Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation, and later, the Paramount Pictures Corporation.
Founding the Academy and Later Work
In 1927, Jesse Lasky was one of 36 people who started the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group that gives out the Oscars. His film Wings was the very first movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
During the Great Depression, many businesses faced money problems. Lasky lost a lot of money and left the company in 1932. Famous Players-Lasky later became part of Paramount.
After leaving, Lasky became an independent film producer. He also produced a radio talent show. He then worked at RKO Pictures and later at Warner Bros.. At Warner Bros., he produced movies like:
- Sergeant York (1941)
- The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944)
- Rhapsody in Blue (1945)
In 1945, he started his own production company. His last film was The Great Caruso (1951). He was planning another movie with Paramount to help pay off some debts, but he passed away before it started.
Personal Life and Passing
Jesse L. Lasky died from a heart attack in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 77. He is buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery, which is right next to Paramount Studios in Hollywood.
He and his wife, Bessie, had three children: Jesse L. Jr., Betty, and Billy. In 1957, he wrote a book about his life called I Blow My Own Horn.
Legacy and Recognition
Jesse Lasky has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6433 Hollywood Boulevard. This star honors his important contributions to the movie industry. A street in Beverly Hills, Lasky Drive, was also named after him.
See also
In Spanish: Jesse L. Lasky para niños
