Danielle
5-Burzinski
May 9, 2012
Language Arts
Life and History of Louis B. Mayer
Born in the summer of 1885, Louis B. Mayer was born. He changed the
“Melting Pot” with his brilliant movies. He was poor when he got to the United
States selling scrap metal as a peddler, but then that all started to change. He was
the founder of Metro Goldwyn Mayer Company. He, Louis B. Mayer, represents
America with his brilliance of movie making and founding his famous M.G.M.
(Metro Goldwyn Mayer).
Louis B. Mayer was born on the summer of 1885. It is unknown as to the
exact date when he was born, but he knew he was born in the summer time. He
had chosen the date July 4, 1885. Perhaps, Mayer chose the date July 4, 1885
because of the most important American holiday, The Fourth of July. Mayer used
that date for his birthday to feel part of America. The Fourth of July is about
freedom, for he escaped to find freedom. That can be a reason why Louis B.
Mayer had chosen that date. He was born in the country of Russia in the city of
Vilme. In Mayer’s lifetime, he never had much education. He skipped college. His
hometown was in the Minsk District then Boston, Massachusetts. He was married
to Margret Shenberg (1914-1947), and then he married Irene Gladys Mayer. On
October 29, 1957 he died in Los Angeles, California. That was general information
about Louis B. Mayer.
Louis B. Mayer is inspirational to me. First, I love movies and love to watch
them with my friends and family. To add, he bought and created a 600 seat
theater called the Orpheum and was a gargantuan success! Moreover, he worked
his way to fame. For example, first he was poor, then after buying the theater, he
was a huge success. He made one million dollars per year! He represents America
with his “high-class films” and his company M.G.M (Metro Goldwyn Mayer). This
is why I choose Louis B. Mayer.
Louis B. Mayer is an interesting man, and has many facts that I never knew
about him. First, Louis B. Mayer didn’t know the exact day and time or even
month of when he was born, but he knew he was born in the summer. He picked
the date July 4, 1885. Another fact is that he purchased a 600 seat theater in the
Boston suburb of Haverhill. Lastly, in 1950, Mayer was given an Academy Award,
“for distinguished service to the motion picture industry.” Those were facts about
Louis B. Mayer.
Louis B. Mayer was a man who was in the motion-picture business
showing “high-class films” in Boston, Massachusetts in his 600-seat theater. He
was a film producer and a studio executive. In 1907, Mayer bought and renovated
the Gem Theater in Boston. He re-named it the Orpheum, and reopened it on
November 28, 1907. The Orpheum was Mayer’s first ever movie theater. He
opened his theater by showing a religious film. In 1914, located in Boston,
Massachusetts, Richard A. Rowland and Louis B. Mayer created and organized
their own film distribution agency. Two years later, Mayer moved to Los Angeles,
California, and formed his own production company, Louis B. Mayer Pictures
Corporation. The first production was 1918’s Virtuous Wives. After that, Mayer
re-named the Corporation as Metro Goldwyn- Mayer. Those were Louis B.
Mayer’s career milestones.
Louis B. Mayer with his family, moved from Russia to North America
living in New Brunswick, Canada. His family was poor; his dad was a peddler
selling scrap metal, and Louis B. Mayer and his family was starving all the time. To
add, Mayer worked with his dad by going to Boston, Massachusetts for his dad’s
scrap metal business. Then, Mayer was 19. He moved to Boston, Massachusetts
to start a new life and to get rich. Mayer was a peddler carrying spices, dry goods,
and old clothes all on his back walking with almost one hundred pounds of goods
on his back while walking ten to fifteen miles each day.
In the year of 1941, the movie Citizen Kane came out. Louis B. Mayer
was a part of this debacle about who wrote the script of Citizen Kane. Welles (the
director and main actor in the movie) took all the credit for writing the script that
he did not write. When Welles went to Hollywood, California, his ego did not go
well. He tried to convince everyone that he wrote the script, but no one believed
him. Welles taking all the credit started the whole debacle on who wrote the
script. The man who wrote it should be recognized. Everyone still asks this
question. Who actually wrote the script? Even in present day decades later, no
one still knows who wrote the script of one of the greatest movies in history,
Citizen Kane.
Louis B. Mayer had a catch phrase. His phrase was, “Be smart, but
never show it.” The phrase is about modesty. As Woodrow Wilson said, “It’s hard
to do your duty when men are sneering at you as when they are shooting you.”
Louis B. Mayer’s phrase is to be modest.
Louis B. Mayer is a true representative of our country. Louis B. Mayer
made contributions to America. For example, he produced famous movies, such
as the Wizard of Oz. Being an American to Louis B. Mayer is the sense of freedom.
When he lived in Russia, during the time period when he was born, the Russians
hated the Jewish people. They persecuted them. When Mayer came to our
country, he felt that there was no danger; no one will kill him because of his
religion. He can be free. To add, he was a part of what our country is known as
the “Melting Pot.” Our country is called the “Melting Pot” because of all the
different cultures and religions. Louis B. Mayer represents America with his
magnificent movies. Louis B. Mayer is a fantastic producer of marvelous movie
making in the 1900s and even today his movies are still popular and the greatest
of all time. Louis B. Mayer is the king of movie producing.