Carl Laemmle | |
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 Portrait, Exhibitors' Times, 1913 | |
| Born | Karl Lämmle January 17, 1867 Laupheim, Kingdom of Württemberg (now Germany) |
| Died | September 24, 1939 (aged 72) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Home of Peace Cemetery, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Years active | 1909–1939 |
| Spouse | Recha Stern |
| Children | Rosabelle Laemmle Bergerman (1903–1965) Carl Laemmle Jr. (1908–1979) |
| Family | Stanley Bergerman (son-in-law) Carla Laemmle (niece) |
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Carl Laemmle (/ˈlɛmli/ ; born Karl Lämmle German: [ˈlɛmlə]; January 17, 1867 – September 24, 1939) was a German-American film producer and the co-founder and, until 1934, owner of Universal Pictures. He produced or worked on over 400 films.
Regarded as one of the most important of the early film pioneers, Laemmle was born in what is now Germany. He immigrated to the United States in 1884 and worked in Chicago for 20 years before he began buying nickelodeons, eventually expanding into a film distribution service, the Laemmle Film Service, then into production as Independent Moving Pictures Company (IMP), later renamed Universal Film Manufacturing Company, and later still renamed Universal Pictures Company.