Samuel Louis "Sam" Warner (born Szmuel Wonsal, August 10, 1887 â€"
October 5, 1927) was an American film producer who was the co-founder
and chief executive officer of Warner Bros. He established the studio
along with his brothers Harry, Albert, and Jack L. Warner. Sam Warner
is credited with procuring the technology that enabled Warner Bros. to
produce the film industry's first feature-length talking picture, The
Jazz Singer. He died in 1927, the day before the film's enormously
successful premiere.Samuel "Wonsal" or "Wonskolaser", was born in
Congress Poland under Russian Empire, in the town of Krasnosielc. He
was one of eleven children born to Benjamin, a shoe maker born in
Krasnosielc, and Pearl Leah (née Eichelbaum), both Polish Jews. He
had ten siblings. His sisters were Cecilia (1877â€"1881), Anna
(1878â€"1958), Rose (1890â€"1955), Fannie (1891â€"1984) and Sadie
(1895â€"1959). His brothers were Hirsz Mojżesz (born in 1881 and
later known as "Harry"), David (1893â€"1939), Abraham (1884â€"1967),
later known as "Albert" or "Abe"), Jacob (1892â€"1978), later known as
"Jack") and Milton (1896â€"1915).The family emigrated to Baltimore,
Maryland in October 1889 on the steamship Hermann from Bremen,
Germany. Their father had preceded them, emigrating to Baltimore in
1888, and following his trade in shoes and shoe repair. He changed the
family name to Warner, which was used thereafter. As in many Jewish
immigrant families, some of the children gradually acquired anglicized
versions of their Yiddish-sounding names. Szmuel became Samuel,
nicknamed Sam.In Baltimore, Benjamin Warner struggled to make enough
money to provide for his growing family. Following the advice of a
friend, Benjamin relocated the family to Canada, where he attempted to
make a living by bartering tin wares to trappers in exchange for furs.
After two arduous years in Canada, Benjamin and his family returned to
Baltimore. In 1896, the family relocated to Youngstown, Ohio,
following the lead of Harry Warner, who established a shoe repair shop
in the heart of the emerging industrial town. Benjamin worked with his
son Harry in the shoe repair shop until he secured a loan to open a
meat counter and grocery store in the city's downtown area. As a
child, Sam Warner found himself trying to find work through a range of
various odd jobs.
October 5, 1927) was an American film producer who was the co-founder
and chief executive officer of Warner Bros. He established the studio
along with his brothers Harry, Albert, and Jack L. Warner. Sam Warner
is credited with procuring the technology that enabled Warner Bros. to
produce the film industry's first feature-length talking picture, The
Jazz Singer. He died in 1927, the day before the film's enormously
successful premiere.Samuel "Wonsal" or "Wonskolaser", was born in
Congress Poland under Russian Empire, in the town of Krasnosielc. He
was one of eleven children born to Benjamin, a shoe maker born in
Krasnosielc, and Pearl Leah (née Eichelbaum), both Polish Jews. He
had ten siblings. His sisters were Cecilia (1877â€"1881), Anna
(1878â€"1958), Rose (1890â€"1955), Fannie (1891â€"1984) and Sadie
(1895â€"1959). His brothers were Hirsz Mojżesz (born in 1881 and
later known as "Harry"), David (1893â€"1939), Abraham (1884â€"1967),
later known as "Albert" or "Abe"), Jacob (1892â€"1978), later known as
"Jack") and Milton (1896â€"1915).The family emigrated to Baltimore,
Maryland in October 1889 on the steamship Hermann from Bremen,
Germany. Their father had preceded them, emigrating to Baltimore in
1888, and following his trade in shoes and shoe repair. He changed the
family name to Warner, which was used thereafter. As in many Jewish
immigrant families, some of the children gradually acquired anglicized
versions of their Yiddish-sounding names. Szmuel became Samuel,
nicknamed Sam.In Baltimore, Benjamin Warner struggled to make enough
money to provide for his growing family. Following the advice of a
friend, Benjamin relocated the family to Canada, where he attempted to
make a living by bartering tin wares to trappers in exchange for furs.
After two arduous years in Canada, Benjamin and his family returned to
Baltimore. In 1896, the family relocated to Youngstown, Ohio,
following the lead of Harry Warner, who established a shoe repair shop
in the heart of the emerging industrial town. Benjamin worked with his
son Harry in the shoe repair shop until he secured a loan to open a
meat counter and grocery store in the city's downtown area. As a
child, Sam Warner found himself trying to find work through a range of
various odd jobs.
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