How My Family Lost Universal Studios

I’m so proud of my family history, but sometimes it feels weird to talk about it too. Videos about old films, events, or the accomplishments of my relatives are easy to make because I’m retelling history with the focus on others, but this video brings me into the story a little more prominently than usual.

Because of the work I do regarding my family history, it comes up pretty regularly that I’m related to Carl Laemmle, the founder of Universal Studios, and the first question everyone always asks is if my family still owns the studio.

At one time, dozens of my relatives were working on the Universal lot, and some even lived there in bungalows on the backlot! But my family hasn’t owned the studio since the 1930s, and the story behind the end of the Laemmle Era is pretty interesting. Carl Laemmle and his son, Junior, were responsible for many of the biggest early movies and stars, but it wasn’t enough to save them when things got rough.

I’m excited to finally share the story of how my family lost Universal Studios!