Laemmle, Carl, Sr (1867-1939)

German-born US film producer. In 1906 he opened a nickelodeon in Chicago, Illinois. He soon became a leading film distributor and founded his own studio in 1909 in defiance of the powerful Motion Picture Patents Company trust; his Independent Motion Picture Company (IMP) acquired smaller companies to form the Universal Film Manufacturing Company in 1912. He was one of the most aggressive of the early movie producers, luring stars away from other companies, heavily publicizing them, and showing that feature length and sensational movies could be profitable.

Laemmle was born in Laupheim, Germany. He emigrated to New York City in 1884 and held various jobs before entering the motion picture industry. He appointed approximately 70 relatives to executive posts at Universal, including his son, Carl Laemmle Jr, who became production chief at the age of 21. He also hired the 19-year-old Irving Thalberg, the son of a friend, and soon entrusted him with running Universal's production studios in Hollywood, California. By 1935, Laemmle had been forced to sell Universal, due to a combination of the Depression and his son's extravagances.