Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-22

TINE eminent John Drinkwater
author of biographical drama:
concerning Abraham Lincoln
Il Mary, Queen of Scots, and Oil
yer Cromwell. now has a some.
what more contemporary Subject-Car
Iaemmle, founder and president of the
Universal Pictures Corporation, anc
contributor Of a weekly column to 9
weekly magazine.
Biographies of film magnates are mo-
always to be taken seriously. as they
usually come under the head Of pub
licity matter. That is to say, the biog
rapher Is paid by his subject to pre-.
pare the work, and consequently does
not feel free to include In it anything
less than fulsome eulogy
whether this will be the case with
Mr.. Drinkwaters book or Mr. Laemmle
do not know, but 1 do know that
there is an opportunity here for a life
story that can approach the dimen-
stons of what is technically known as
an epic" Carl Laemmle is probably
the most picturesque figure in the per-
forated celluloid industry. His career
has been an extraordinary one through
most of it he has been on the outside
of the big tent. conducting his own
sideshow, an object sometimes of affec-
zion, sometimes of derision, sometimes
Of respect, but always of fascinated in
terest.
For IS years, ever since he left the
bclothing business in Oshkosh, he has
been engaged in a terrible struggle for
existence and independence. He has
managed to maintain both, but only by
dint OF heroic expenditures of toll and
anguish. For every ounce of Satisfac-
ton there have been several tons of
tough luck
hope that Mr.. Drinkwater will lay
heavy stress on Carl Laemmles mani
fold woes. for these have distinguished
him from his colleagues in the film
business, have made him a curiously
pathetic and sympathetic figure. In
1884 he left his native Laupheim, in
Germany. to migrate TO the golden
United States, where there are sup
posed to be glorious opportunities for
all men. and where no medieval dis
functions are made between Christians
and Jews. His first job was as a farm
nand IN Iowa, where he was assigned
to feed the hogs (of all animalsD.
He survived that and subsequent
hardShips, just as he survived his first
big war in motion pictures. That war
involved the independents" of which
Mr.. Laemmle was the leader, and the
trust" which was the all-powerful
General Film Co
This General Film Co. comprised all
the more important producers of the
period: Biograph, Vitagraph, Kalem.
Lunin, Edison and others. All of them
have disappeared long since. Carl
Laemmle is still going strong-in fact,
stronger at this moment than ever be-
lore, although he himself has melan-
choly reason to know that his present
luck Is too good to last.
ONE of the principal causes of Mr..
Lsemmle'S frequent misfortunes is
exaggerated kindness. He has been
too generous TO all manner Of needy
friends and (more particularly rela-
tives.
During the World War he suffered
keenly because of his German birth and
his unalterable German accent. Every
one knew where he came from, so he
couldn't pretend tas others did that
his accent was Swiss" or "Alsa tan :"
He tried to make up for it by being very
hagrantly pro-ally. He produced one
OF the bitterest of all the propaganda
nlms-an orgy of wartime bad taste
called THE Kaiser. the Beast of Ber-
lin. This charming entertainment
made good money at the time, but 1t
had damaging consequences.
Another Universal war picture it was
called Hearts of HUMANITY had in
It's cast an unknown actor named Erich
von Stroheim. He gained access to Mr.
Laen1nle and proceeded to burst into
tears. telling the boss of the horrors he
had been through because of his Ger
man nationality and begging that he
be given a chance. Won Stroheim said
that he had a great idea for a screen
story which he could tell in a few
minutes Mr.. Laemmle agreed to lis
ten; he felt an understandable SYM
pathy for the oppressed young Teuton.
The story lasted for over two hours.