Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 April 1915 — LAEMMLE FILM MAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LAEMMLE FILM MAN

Is Called the Little Napoleon of the Moving Pictures. Universal City. California, th* Late** Monument to His Talent—-Town I* Peopled by Movie Men and Women.

Carl Laemmle, the founder of Universal City, has done much toward the advancement of moving pictures. Those who have come In contact with him know what a great leader he is. This "Little Napoleon of the moving pictures,” as his friends call him, arrived in America twenty-nine years ago in steerage without money and ignorant of the language and customs of this country. Beginning as errand boy, he rose through various employments to the managership of a large retail clothing store in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. His great virtue was for saving what he earned. With the ambition of youth he always longed for something bigger and better and was ever on the lookout for an opportunity. He dropped into a moving picture theater in Chicago when that popular pastime was being introduced to the amusement seeking public. He became interested and believed that it was the opportunity he was seeking and made up his mind to enter the field as an exhibitor. Mainly on his nerve, for he had small capital, he opened a theater in Chicago in a desirable locality and it proved successful from the moment the doors were thrown open. A month later he had another theater in profitable operation. Then he branched out into the renting end of the business, which required that he buy a stock of film This grew very rapidly and within three months the first Laemmle Film Service was incorporated. With the development of the moving picture business there came into

existence a combination of manufacturers who, basing their contentions on patent rights, endeavored to keep others from manufacturing moving pictures. This combination of ten manufacturers closed the market of the United States so tightly that an Independent found great difficulty to either make or market his film. However, American made goods was what the people wanted. In order to avoid buying from these manufacturers, and against the advice of his friends, who thought it would ruin him, he organized the Imp Films Cq. It was a rather difficult task that Mr. Laemmle picked out for himself, for back of the manufacturers of the combination was unlimited capital, and the talent and ingenuity such resources can command. On his side were only his confidence and ability and certainty of the feasibility of this plan, which was shared by few of those who would profit most from its success. The first picture that Mr. Laemmle put on the market was a big success. It was one of the best pictures ever flashed upon the screen up to that time. The brand of flljn turned out by Mr. Laemmle was a success from the very outset. However, a contending factor arose in the shape of an Injunction issued by the supreme court tn favor of the restraining him from using the best Cameras which were thten available. In order to avoid any legal entanglements Mr. Laemmle took his companies to Cuba and continued making the same quality of film he produced in New York city. Later he was instrumental in bringing about the amalgamation of the leading independent companies, and in 1912 became president of the Universal Film Manufacturing Company. One of the first accomplishments of this company was the establishment of a large ranch in Los Angeles for the production of moving pictures. This ranch grew to such enormous proportions that it was finally conceived and decided by Mr. Laemmle to erect a city devoted exclusively to the making of pictures. The population of Universal City is composed entirely of moving picture people. .The. mayor, chief of police and all city officials ar* chosen from among them. There are writers, directors, players, mechanics, carpenters, property men and other workingmen, a small army of trained soldiers, cowboys, Indians and hundreds of extra people. Plays of every description are produced there and sent to all parts of th* globe, -

breds, long-horned steers, burros, military mules and Shetland ponies ar* stabled in several corrals. There are two modern and thoroughly equipped hospitals and infirmaries fitted out with every modern instrument for surgical and pathological remedy. These are under the direction of two physicians. The pharmacy department contains every drug, chemical and scientific appliance necessary to the upkeep of the medical department A quarter mile track, which will serve many purposes, encircles a playground which includes a baseball diamond, handball alleys and tennis courts. Circling the track are grandstands, stadiums and bleachers, which can be converted into the ancient Roman amphitheater or the Olympic stadium of Greece. Every nature of vehicle is contained in the carriage house, ranging from the chariot of the Homeric warrior to our most up-to-date landau. Next to this is the garage, containing a hundred automobiles of different makes and descriptions. Its smithy and harness shops are comnlete and thoroughly .equipped for the purposes intended. Cottages, bungalows and villas of all descriptions are Interspersed here and there throughout the city. These are rented to the employees by the Universal company at rates far beneath the usual rental. It is not the intention of the company to make any money on the rental of these quarters, but it is merely charging the actual cost For the convenience of both men and women a clubhouse has been builL This contains a library, Turkish bath, bowling alleys, swimming pool, billiard and pool rooms, grill, lounging and reception rooms. The club is controlled and maintained by the company for the use and enjoyment of the inhabitants of the city. Adjoining the club is the gym, complete in its appointments, including everything in use in the athletic clubs in our largest cities. The best water that can be obtained in California is supplied to every building. Its reservoirs are fed by seven artesian wells, which give water 99 per cent pure at the rate of 300,000 gallons per day. While the city itself is very picturesque, there are within it many odd settlements. The Indian village, which lies off in one section of the city, is characteristic of the dyed-in-the-wool Indian as he was known in the last century. Their tepees are strewn over this section and they are permitted to pursue their own mode of living. They take great delight in reviving the customs that were in vogue when they freely roamed the plains and shot the wild animals in their favorite hunting grounds. They have revived the occupations that were indulged in by their ancestors, such as the shaping of pottery, making of bows and arrows, stringing of beads and making of tomahawks.

There are two restaurants on the ground, which are equipped and finished with the same completeness that will be found in any large city. For their own entertainment the photo players have organized an orchestra, which plays both the classic and popular pieces during the dining hours. This orchestra is screened from view by palms and ferns. A stage accommodating 20 sets of scenery and conceded to be the largest stage in the world, is built in this city. In addition to this, there also has been built a large inside studio, which is used during the rainy season. There is also a wonderful revolving stage and a rocking stage, two Thnovations in the making-of pictures. > The river which flows through the city is spanned by a number of bridges, ranging from the rustic foot bridge to the American trestle. All of these bridges can be converted so as to resemble some other kind of bridge, such as a Roman stone bridge or a cantilever. On the river itself is a fleet of boats ranging from a canoe to a fully-equipped steam launch. The river is dammed so that a certain low section can be overflowed to convert it into a miniature lake. There is also much natural scenery available, such as the rugged mountain sides, the deep-cut canyons, the waterfalls which abound in the mountains, the numerous caves which dot the hillsides, and the ocean, which is but a few mile* away. There are many strange animals in this city which will remind one of the jungles of Africa or the wilds of India. The llamas, the tigers, leopards, hyenas, giraffes, zebras and many other wild animals complete ohe of the largest privately owned menageries in the world. Th* natural scenery which surrounds Universal City makes it one of the most visited beauty spots on the coast. Rugged mountain sides, with their native trees and foliage, crevices, caves and canyons abound throughout this range. The city itself is laid out in flower gardens, which Include plants secured from many foreign countries. Also the native flowers blossom there in abundance. Sunken gardens have been built, and many corners are beautified with plant life, all of which are used to splendid advantage in the pictures. There are many other interesting spots in Universal City which must necessarily be seen to be appreciated, such as the inclosure in which the animal pictures are taken, the Wyoming village and the mechanical departments. The population of Universal City i* composed entirely of people engaged in the making of moving pictures, including many of th* famous stage people of th* world. ,

Carl Laemmle, President.