- Born
- Died
- Sol Lesser entered the film industry as an exhibitor and the owner of a chain of movie theaters. His first "production" had an interesting story behind it. In 1915, while he was living in San Francisco, he learned that the authorities were about to clean out and close down the city's notorious Barbary Coast district, a raucous area of gambling houses, saloons and brothels. He grabbed a camera and a friend (future Hollywood cameraman Hal Mohr) and roamed all over the district, shooting footage of some of the area's best-known establishments before they were shut down. After the film was put together he titled it Last Night of the Barbary Coast (1913), sold it to theaters himself and made a bundle on it. Using that money, he began buying up theaters and soon had his own chain. Going into film production full-time in the 1930s with his own company, Principal Pictures Corp., he concentrated mainly on low-budget westerns and Tarzan pictures. He joined RKO in 1941 as executive in charge of feature production.
- IMDb mini biography by: frankfob2@yahoo.com
- SpouseFay Grunauer (2 children)
- Interviewed in J.A. Aberdeen's "Hollywood Renegades: The Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers". Palos Verdes Estates, CA: Cobblestone Entertainment
- Children: Marjorie and Julian Lesser.
- Formed 1930s "B" picture production company Principal Pictures Corp.
- 'Tarzan' is pure escapist entertainment. He is the original superman, fighting for the rights of the downtrodden and the persecuted against all villains, be they human or beast. He rules with a minimum of words - hence he is understood by all. Rarely does Tarzan get gooey with Jane. Thus the kids love him and so do the old folks.
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