The Hollywood pioneers

Adolph Zukor was born into a poor Jewish family in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, present-day Hungary. At age 16, he left for the US, where the young man first made a living by sweeping floors and other trades. He worked for a furrier until a cousin gave him the idea of entering the film business.

In 1912, Adolph Zukor founded the Famous Players company, which later became Paramount, and produced one successful film after another — including "Queen Elizabeth," "The Prisoner of Zenda" and "The Count of Monte Cristo." In 1949, Zukor was awarded an honorary Oscar. He stayed on as director of Paramount until his death at the age of 103.

Carl Laemmle, born in the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg, is also one of the most influential film pioneers in US film history. The son of a Jewish cattle dealer, he emigrated to the US at the age of 17. His career began in the textile industry. In 1906, he invested in nickelodeon cinemas and a film distribution company, which rose to be one of the largest in the country within just two years.

He founded his first film company on the East Coast in 1910, but a short time later he moved it to the West Coast, where the weather was more suitable for outdoor shoots and wages lower. Two years later, he laid the foundation for Universal Studios, which he managed until 1936. Today, the company is one of the so-called Big Five movie studios, the five largest US film companies.

Wilhelm Fuchs was born into a large family in what is today Hungary. He, too, moved to the US, where he first tried his hand at the textile business, but quickly discovered the potential of the new medium. He bought movie theaters and also made his money in film distribution. In 1915, he founded the Fox Film Corporation, which later became known as 20th Century Fox.

In its more than 100 years of existence, the Fox Film Corporation and its successor, 20th Century Fox, have brought hugely successful films to the box offices, including "Star Wars," "Titanic," "Avatar," "Ice Age," "Die Hard" and "Planet of the Apes." In 2019, the production company founded by Wilhelm Fuchs was acquired by the Walt Disney Company.

Louis B. Mayer, too, is one of Hollywood's leading founding fathers. He was born in the Russian Empire, and in 1888 his Jewish family moved first to Canada and then to the US. He had soon recognized the importance of nickelodeon cinemas and opened one of his own in 1907. Mayer, one of the co-founders of the Oscar Academy, later founded and headed the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) film company.

Harold Morris Warner (right) was born Hirsch Moses Wonsal in what is today Poland. In 1903, he and his brothers bought a film projector and started showing films at fairs. It was the beginning of their future career in the film industry. In the early 1920s, Harry and his brothers Albert, Samuel and Jack L. founded the Warner Brothers Pictures film company.