UNIVERSAL CITY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 69, 15 December 1931, Page 32 (Supplement)

UNIVERSAL CITY

A Day With The Laemmles One cannot visit the Universal Studios without immediately being impressed with its complete rejuvenation. Politics has made way for efficiency. One finds far less small talk and far more action. Under the effervescent guidance of Carl Laemmle Junr., the old factory methods have been painlessly discarded and in place we find a busy, intelligently supervised beehive of modern production activity and a 1931 output of pictures that ranks with the best. Any company that can turn out a succession of productions such as “All Quiet,” “Seed,”

“Waterloo Bridge,” “East of Borneo,” Dracula” and “The “Spirit of Notre Dame" can be fairly sure of its standing in the realm of pic-

ture producers. With those more intimately connected with Hollywood, the name of “Laemmle” is synonymous with “utmost respect .for the greatest of fighters.” Carl Laemmle Sent., or “Uncle Carl” as he is more affectionately termed, has had to battle single-handed against big picture

trusts since pictures first started. Carl

Laemmle started with nothing. HU opposition had behind them the resources of the big figures of finance in America, and despite this, Carl Laemmle has produced big pictures, costly pictures that ranked with the best To quote a few for example, let us remember “Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Uncle Tom’s Cabin." And now comes along the only son, Carl Junr., veritably the apple of his father’s eye. And didn’t the eyebrows of Hollywood curl heavenwards when father announced that he was letting his twenty-one-year-old son take charge of his enormous business. It was one thing to adore one’s only son. It was another to place on his very young and very inexperienced shouldqjg such a tremendous responsibility—the wise predicted total extine-

tton of Laemmle and Universal. But—it's a win® father knows his ow son. To-day Universal, under the miraculous guidance of the now twenty-ihree-year-old youngster, has become one of the leading producers in the picture world, . with the credit of the greatest progress made by any company in sueh a short period of two years. To reminisce and chat with Carl Laemmle Senr M is to share his optimism and satisfaction of recorded accomplishment over the years. His has been an open record of unerring aim and dogged determination. On his desk is the photograph of one that holds the key tojiis ambitions and happiness, Carl Laemmle Junr., who had his own way of doing things and then proceeded to do them. He took his bap-

tism of fire and came through like a major. His twenty-three-year-old mind has an uncanny knowledge of public taste —that is why he commits his company to tremendous expense in the production of pictures such as “Strictly Dishonourable,” “W a t e r I o o Bridge,” “Mother’s Millions,” “Frankenstein” and many other productions, all of which, it is prophesied by the critics because of their belief in Laemmle Junr.’s judgment, will rank among the big pictures of the year.