Jack L. Warner

Jack L. Warner

Born: August 2, 1892
Died: September 9, 1978
in London, Ontario, Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jack Leonard "J. L." Warner (August 2, 1892 – September 9, 1978), born Jacob Warner in London, Ontario, was a Canadian-American film executive who was the president and driving force behind the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. Warner's career spanned some 45 years, its duration surpassing that of any other of the seminal Hollywood studio moguls.

As co-head of production at Warner Bros. Studios, he worked with his brother, Sam Warner, to procure the technology for the film industry's first talking picture. After Sam's death, Jack clashed with his surviving older brothers, Harry and Albert Warner. He assumed exclusive control of the film production company in the 1950s, when he secretly purchased his brothers' shares in the business after convincing them to participate in a joint sale of stocks.

Although Warner was feared by many of his employees and inspired ridicule with his uneven attempts at humor, he earned respect for his shrewd instincts and tough-mindedness. He recruited many of Warner Bros.' top stars and promoted the hard-edged social dramas for which the studio became known. Given to decisiveness, Warner once commented, "If I'm right fifty-one percent of the time, I'm ahead of the game."

Throughout his career, he was viewed as a contradictory and enigmatic figure. Although he was a staunch Republican, Warner encouraged film projects that promoted the agenda of Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. He opposed European fascism and criticized Nazi Germany well before America's involvement in World War II. An opponent of Communism, after the war Warner appeared as a friendly witness before the House Un-American Activities Committee, voluntarily naming screenwriters who had been fired as suspected Communists or sympathizers. Despite his controversial public image, Warner remained a force in the motion picture industry until his retirement in the early 1970s.

Movies for Jack L. Warner...

Audrey
Title: Audrey
Character: Self - Film Producer (archive footage)
Released: November 30, 2020
Type: Movie
An unprecedented and intimate look at the life, work and enduring legacy of British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).
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Sid & Judy
Title: Sid & Judy
Character: Self (archive photos)
Released: June 26, 2019
Type: Movie
Explore the dramatic career and personal struggles of the talented and tragically short-lived entertainer Judy Garland through rare concert footage, never-heard-before voice recordings and personal photos.
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And the Oscar Goes To...
Title: And the Oscar Goes To...
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: February 1, 2014
Type: Movie
The story of the gold-plated statuette that became the film industry's most coveted prize, AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... traces the history of the Academy itself, which began in 1927 when Louis B. Mayer, then head of MGM, led other prominent members of the industry in forming this professional honorary organization. Two years later the Academy began bestowing awards, which were nicknamed "Oscar," and quickly came to represent the pinnacle of cinematic achievement.
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Paris Hilton Inc.: The Selling of Celebrity
Title: Paris Hilton Inc.: The Selling of Celebrity
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: November 29, 2009
Type: Movie
We are drowning in celebrity culture and certainly no tabloid topic has been as big as Paris Hilton. Her incarceration and subsequent release, then re-incarceration and her ultimate release once again-left us submerged knee-deep in the twists and turns of her life. Famous for doing nothing, she's the ultimate manifestation of our obsession with celebrity culture and the massive profits that it wields. As long as we are willing to watch and read, who can resist feeding our habit?
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1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Title: 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: July 2, 2009
Type: Movie
This documentary focuses on 1939, considered to be Hollywood's greatest year, with film clips and insight into what made the year so special.
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Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Title: Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Character: Self (voice) (archive footage)
Released: May 3, 2006
Type: Movie
Combining unprecedented access to Davis' vast personal archives with original interviews, this documentary reveals a startling portrait of one of Hollywood's most gifted and enigmatic stars.
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42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
Title: 42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: March 21, 2006
Type: Movie
Making-of documentary about the 1933 musical, 42nd Street.
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The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Title: The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: April 5, 2005
Type: Movie
A documentary about the life of Errol Flynn, with recollections from friends and family.
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Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'
Title: Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: September 30, 2003
Type: Movie
An overview of the making of John Huston's 1948 classic "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre."
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Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul
Title: Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul
Character: Himself (archive footage)
Released: May 14, 1993
Type: Movie
An insider's account of Jack Warner, a founding father of the American film industry. This feature length documentary provides the rags to riches story of the man whose studio - Warner Bros - created many of Hollywood's most classic films. Includes extensive interviews with family members and friends, film clips, rare home movies and unique location footage.
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Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Title: Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Character: Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: February 25, 1983
Type: Movie
Out-takes (mostly from Warner Bros.), promotional shorts, movie premieres, public service pleas, wardrobe tests, documentary material, and archival footage make up this star-studded voyeuristic look at the Golden age of Hollywood during the 30s, 40, and 50.
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A Look at the World of 'Soylent Green'
Title: A Look at the World of 'Soylent Green'
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: January 1, 1973
Type: Movie
This promotional short film for "Soylent Green" (1973) begins by showing clips of films that depicted what the future might be like beyond Earth. The narrator then discusses the origin of the idea depicted in "Soylent Green." Director Richard Fleischer and star Charlton Heston discuss how an upcoming crowd scene will be filmed. Then we see what happens when the crowd riots because there is not enough food available to be distributed to everyone. "Soylent Green" was Edward G. Robinson's 101st (and, as it turned out, his last) feature film. During a break in filming, the cast and crew hold a ceremony celebrating the first film of his "second hundred," and Robinson makes appreciative remarks to the crowd. Studio head Jack L. Warner and friend George Burns are among those in attendance.
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A Star Is Born World Premiere
Title: A Star Is Born World Premiere
Character: Self
Released: September 28, 1954
Type: Movie
Live television broadcast of the world premiere. Described by various participants as the biggest world premiere in memory, even bigger than the Academy Awards.
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Title: The Oscars
Character: Self
Released: March 19, 1953
Type: TV
An annual American awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements in the film industry. The various category winners are awarded a copy of a statuette, officially the Academy Award of Merit, that is better known by its nickname Oscar.
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Title: The Ed Sullivan Show
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: June 20, 1948
Type: TV
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the CBS Sunday Night Movie, which ran only one season and was eventually replaced by other shows. In 2002, The Ed Sullivan Show was ranked #15 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
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Okay for Sound
Title: Okay for Sound
Released: September 7, 1946
Type: Movie
This short was released in connection with the 20th anniversary of Warner Brothers' first exhibition of the Vitaphone sound-on-film process on 6 August 1926. The film highlights Thomas A. Edison and Alexander Graham Bell's efforts that contributed to sound movies and acknowledges the work of Lee De Forest. Brief excerpts from the August 1926 exhibition follow. Clips are then shown from a number of Warner Brothers features, four from the 1920s, the remainder from 1946/47.
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The Voice That Thrilled the World
Title: The Voice That Thrilled the World
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: October 16, 1943
Type: Movie
This short traces the history of sound in the movies, beginning with French scientist Leon Scott's experiments in 1857. Featured are snippets from early sound pictures.
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Show-Business at War
Title: Show-Business at War
Character: Self
Released: May 21, 1943
Type: Movie
A multi-studio effort to show the newsreel audience the progress of the Hollywood war effort.
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Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Title: Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Character: Self
Released: July 31, 1940
Type: Movie
This 1940 presentation features highlights of earlier (1928 onward) Oscar ceremonies including Shirley Temple and Walt Disney, plus acceptance speeches for films released in 1939 with recipients and presenters including Vivien Leigh, Judy Garland, Hattie McDaniel, Fay Bainter, Mickey Rooney, Thomas Mitchell, Sinclair Lewis, and more, with host Bob Hope.
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A Dream Comes True
Title: A Dream Comes True
Character: Himself (uncredited)
Released: December 31, 1935
Type: Movie
A promotional short to hype the production of A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935).
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The 42nd Street Special
Title: The 42nd Street Special
Character: Self (uncredited)
Released: February 20, 1933
Type: Movie
As part of a publicity campaign for the film 42nd Street (1933), Warner Bros. Pictures, with the assistance of the General Electric Corporation, assembled a 7-car gold- and silver-plated train they called "The 42nd. Street Special". With numerous Warner Bros. contract stars as passengers, the train made a tour across the USA. It was scheduled to make stops in more than 100 cities, ending in Washington, D.C. for the March 1933 inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. This short film records the send-off for this trip from Los Angeles' Santa Fe Station. Using a microphone set up on the rear platform of the last car, several people addressed the crowd attending the event. Those making remarks include performers, studio executives, and the mayor of Los Angeles.
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Open Your Eyes
Title: Open Your Eyes
Character: Soldier (uncredited)
Released: May 24, 1919
Type: Movie
A propagandistic melodrama recounting the dangers and horrors of venereal disease.