Siegmund Lubin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Siegmund Lubin
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Lubin in 1913
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| Born |
Zygmunt Lubszyński
April 20, 1851 |
| Died | September 11, 1923 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | German, US |
| Other names | Siegmund Lubszynski "Pop" Lubin |
| Occupation | Optometrist, inventor, film-maker, industrialist |
| Spouse(s) |
Annie Abrams
(m. 1882–1923) |
Siegmund Lubin (born Zygmunt Lubszyński, April 20, 1851 – September 11, 1923) was an American movie pioneer. He was a very important person in the early days of filmmaking. He started the Lubin Manufacturing Company in Philadelphia, which made many movies between 1902 and 1917.
Contents
Early Life and Moving to America
Siegmund Lubin was born Zygmunt Lubszyński on April 20, 1851. His family was from Poland, and he was born in either Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) or Poznań. His father was an eye doctor. When Siegmund was very young, his family moved to Berlin. There, he changed the spelling of his first name to Siegmund.
Becoming an Eye Doctor
Siegmund studied at the Heidelberg University. In 1876, he moved to the United States and settled in Philadelphia. He became an optometrist, which is an eye doctor who helps people with their eyesight. Around 1881, he made his last name shorter, changing Lubszyński to Lubin.
Starting in the Movie Business
Siegmund Lubin was not just an eye doctor. He was also an inventor! He soon made his own camera and projector, which he sold to others. In 1896, he started helping to share films for Thomas Edison, a famous inventor.
Making His Own Films
By 1897, Siegmund Lubin began making his own movies. In 1902, he officially started his own company, the Lubin Manufacturing Company. One of the films he made was Meet Me at the Fountain in 1904. His company also copied many films made by other directors without their permission, especially those by Georges Méliès. This was a common problem in the early days of movies.
Lubinville Studio and Challenges
By 1910, his company had built a large movie studio in Philadelphia called "Lubinville." It was a big place where many movies were made.
Difficult Times for the Studio
In June 1914, a fire broke out at the Lubinville studio. This fire destroyed the original copies of many new movies that had not been released yet. Later that year, World War I started in Europe. This was a big problem for Lubin Studios because they lost many sales from other countries. Because of these challenges, the Lubin Film Company closed down on September 1, 1917. After his movie company closed, Siegmund went back to working as an eye doctor.
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Siegmund Lubin passed away on September 11, 1923, at his home in Ventnor, New Jersey.
His Legacy
Siegmund Lubin made a big impact on the movie industry. Because of his contributions, he has a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 6166 Hollywood Blvd.
