Famous Players–Lasky: A Hollywood Legacy

Famous Players–Lasky was a trailblazer in the film industry, producing some of the most iconic movies of its time. The studio was founded in 1912 by Adolph Zukor, who had a vision to bring European films to the American market.

One of the studio's earliest successes was the film "The Birth of a Nation", released in 1915. This groundbreaking film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $10 million at the box office and cementing Famous Players–Lasky's position as a major player in the industry.

The studio's success continued with the release of "Intolerance" in 1916, which was a massive production that featured a cast of over 2,000 extras and a budget of over $500,000. This film showcased the studio's ability to produce large-scale productions that rivaled those of European studios.

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Famous Players–Lasky was formed in 1916 after the merger of Famous Players and the Lasky Feature Play Company. This merger brought together two of the most influential film-production companies at the time.

Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky were the key figures behind this merger, with Zukor as the president and Lasky as the vice president in charge of production. The company's first president was Hiram Abrams, who was a member of the Paramount board of directors and a key ally of Zukor.

The Famous Players–Lasky Corporation was a holding company for several subsidiaries, including Paramount Pictures Corporation, before being incorporated into one entity in 1917. The company's financial struggles began during the Great Depression, with debts of $2,020,024 and assets of only $134,718, leading to receivership in 1933.

Here's a brief timeline of the company's major events:

In 1914, film-production companies Famous Players Films and Jesse L. Lasky Feature Plays signed a distribution deal with Paramount Pictures Corporation.

This deal was a 65/35 arrangement, where the producer would take 65% of film profits and 35% of the gross revenue would go to Hodkinson's Paramount.

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The two men, Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky, quickly realized they could make much higher revenues if they could integrate the production and distribution of their films.

Within a year of the distribution contracts, Zukor and Lasky began looking for a way to buy Hodkinson out of Paramount.

On July 13, 1916, Hiram Abrams, a member of the Paramount board of directors, was ousted from the presidency and replaced by Abrams, who won the seat by a single vote.

Abrams announced to the board, "On behalf of Adolph Zukor, who has purchased my shares in Paramount, I call this meeting to order."

In 1916, Famous Players and the Lasky Feature Play Company merged to form Famous Players–Lasky, with Zukor as president and Jesse L. Lasky as vice president.

Here's a brief timeline of the key events in the formation of Famous Players–Lasky:

In 1922, Famous Players-Lasky Studios was up and running on Long Island, NY.

Rudolph Valentino was one of the famous movie stars who made movies here.

The studio was home to many other notable stars as well.

Famous Players-Lasky Studios was where Rudolph Valentino filmed two movies.

One of these movies, "A Sainted Devil", was ostensibly set in South America but was actually shot in part in Farmingdale.

Jesse L. Lasky Jr. was a Hollywood executive who played a significant role in shaping the film industry.

He was the son of Jesse L. Lasky, the co-founder of Famous Players–Lasky, a predecessor to Paramount Pictures.

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Famous Players–Lasky Corporation faced significant challenges in the 1920s, particularly with regards to its business practices.

The FTC reviewed 17,000 pages of testimony and 15,000 pages of exhibits before concluding that block booking was an unfair trade practice in early 1927.

The corporation was ordered to cease and desist block booking practices and reform its theater purchasing policies, but it largely ignored the cease and desist order.

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The FTC granted the corporation two extensions after the initial 60-day deadline arrived, but the corporation eventually submitted a report of compliance that disputed the charges and denied practicing block booking.

The report was rejected by the FTC, and the corporation's non-compliance led to the FTC taking antitrust action against the Paramount-Famous-Lasky Corporation.

In court, the FTC brought several grievances against the corporation, including one from an independent theater owner in Middleton, New York, who claimed that Famous Players–Lasky used predatory tactics to run him out of business after he rejected a five-year block booking deal.

The theater owner reportedly withstood threats and goon-squad intimidation before the corporation built a movie house across the street from his theater and resorted to temporary price cutting and overbuying to destroy his business.

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The Famous Players–Lasky Corporation's success can be attributed to Adolph Zukor's adept handling of the star system. Celebrities such as Mary Pickford, Marguerite Clark, and Rudolph Valentino helped to define the Famous Player-Lasky brand.

Rudolph Valentino was a major star for the company, and his talent and charisma were undeniable. He was capable of handling more work, turning out better work, and earning larger dividends on the capital invested than any other star in his profession.

The public was passionate about Valentino, and his absence from the screen was deeply felt. A letter to the editor in 1924 expressed the public's desire to see Valentino back on the screen, citing his unique talent and the impact of his absence.

Famous Players-Lasky corporation was unable to treat Valentino fairly, leading some to suggest that the company release him and let another film company sign him up. This would have allowed Valentino to continue making movies and entertaining the public.

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Valentino and Lasky had their differences patched up, and Rudolph Valentino will begin work immediately after the holiday season on a film version of Booth Tarkington's Monsieur Beaucaire.

Famous Players-Lasky are again Valentino's employers. They had tried several times in the last year to settle the matter, offering Valentino carte blanche to select his stories, director, and virtually name his salary.

The company had extreme difficulty in negotiating with Valentino directly, and rapprochement was only reached through his attorney Max Steuer. By the terms of the settlement, all litigation between Valentino and Famous Players will be dropped.

Mrs. Valentino played an important part in the settlement, affixing her signature to the contract before sailing for Europe. She said it's gratifying to reach a satisfactory conclusion and see Rudolph again in a position to pursue his career under satisfactory conditions.

Rudolph Valentino's new contract with Famous Players-Lasky includes a clause giving them the option on his services.

Famous Players–Lasky's legacy in the film industry is a significant one. The company was a major player in the transition from silent films to "talkies" and was a pioneer in the development of sound technology.

Their innovations in sound technology allowed for the creation of more immersive and engaging cinematic experiences. This led to a new era in filmmaking and paved the way for the industry to grow and evolve.

The company's focus on quality and innovation also led to the creation of some of the most iconic films of the time. Movies like "The Jazz Singer" and "The Singing Fool" were groundbreaking in their use of sound and helped to establish Famous Players–Lasky as a leader in the industry.

The company's commitment to quality and innovation had a lasting impact on the film industry. It influenced the way films were made and consumed for decades to come.

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