Samuel Louis "Sam" Warner (August 10, 1887 – October 5, 1927) was an American film producer who was the co-founder and chief executive officer of Warner Bros. Studios. He established the studio along with his brothers Harry, Albert, and Jack 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.
Jack L. Warner, Harry Warner, Albert Warner, Milton Warner, Sadie Warner, Anna Warner, David Warner, Fannie Warner, Henry Warner, Rose Warner
Movies
A Dangerous Adventure, Kaiser's Finish
Star Sign
Leo
#
Trademark
1
Father of Talking Films
#
Fact
1
Co-founded (with brother Harry M. Warner) distribution company Warners Features Inc. in 1910, which was reorganized as United Film Service in 1915.
2
Of all the Warners, Sam was the studio's driving force behind technological innovation, literally dragging his reluctant brothers into the future of film. Somewhat ironically, however, he never envisioned the Vitaphone process being used for dialog. By all accounts he saw it as a cost-saving device to theaters that would enable them to eliminate live orchestras (or, in rural theaters, a piano player) that typically accompanied silent movies. He saw the Vitaphone as a means to distinguish Warners from the more prominent studios in Hollywood. Al Jolson's brief synchronized talking bits in The Jazz Singer (1927) as much as his singing proved sensational to audiences, Sadly, Sam would not live to see the full promise of talkies realized, and his fragile Vitaphone disc process would be quickly surpassed by the vastly superior Fox Movietone sound-on-film system.
3
Sam's death resulted in the surviving three Warner brothers missing the premiere of The Jazz Singer (1927) (they were on a train headed to Los Angeles for the funeral), which would have been the greatest night of their professional lives.
Co-founder of Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc., along with older brother Harry M. Warner (president of the company) and younger brothers Albert Warner (treasurer) and Jack L. Warner (executive in charge of production). Sam was the studio's chief executive officer until his death.
$5 Million
