Lawrence Weingarten (December 30, 1897 – February 5, 1975) was an American film producer. He was best known for working for

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

and producing some of the studio's most prestigious films such as ''

Adam's Rib ''Adam's Rib'' is a 1949 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by George Cukor from a screenplay written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin. It stars Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as married lawyers who come to oppose each other in ...

'' (1949), ''

I'll Cry Tomorrow ''I'll Cry Tomorrow'' (1955) is a biopic that tells the story of Lillian Roth, a Broadway star who rebels against the pressure of her domineering mother and struggles with alcoholism after the death of her fiancé. It stars Susan Hayward, Richard ...

'' (1955) and ''

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...

'' (1958). During his career, Weingarten was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

in 1959 and was given the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1974, which was presented by

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

in her first and only appearance at the Oscars ceremony to present the award to her long time friend Weingarten. Whenever she won an Oscar, she always had either the presenter or another person associated with her film accept it on her behalf. Upon taking the stage, she received a standing ovation, to which she replied ''"I'm living proof that a person can wait forty-one years to be unselfish."''

Early life and career

Weingarten was born in Chicago,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

on December 30, 1897. He began his career as a publicity man for Thomas H. Ince and

First National Pictures First National Pictures was an American motion picture production and distribution company. It was founded in 1917 as First National Exhibitors' Circuit, Inc., an association of independent theatre owners in the United States, and became the count ...

. In 1921, he independently produced a series of

Biblical The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of ...

films. He was also involved in the production of

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...

comedies, as well as

Marie Dressler Marie Dressler (born Leila Marie Koerber, November 9, 1868 – July 28, 1934) was a Canadian stage and screen actress, comedian, and early silent film and Depression-era film star. In 1914, she was in the first full-length film comedy. Sh ...

and

Polly Moran Pauline Theresa Moran (June 28, 1883 – January 25, 1952) billed as Polly Moran, was an American actress of vaudeville, stage and screen and comedian. Career Born in Chicago, Illinois, Moran started in vaudeville, and widely toured North A ...

films early in his career. Weingarten joined MGM under contract as an associate producer in 1927 and for many years was a co‐head of the MGM

editorial board The editorial board is a group of experts, usually at a publication, who dictate the tone and direction the publication's editorial policy will take. Mass media At a newspaper, the editorial board usually consists of the editorial page editor, ...

. During his almost forty year long tenure, he produced 75 films, including '' A Day at the Races'' (1937), ''

'' (1949), '' Pat and Mike'' (1952), '' The Tender Trap'' (1955), ''

'' (1955), '' Don't Go Near the Water'' (1957) and ''

'' (1958). In 1962, he served as a president of the Screen Producers Guild. He retired in 1968 and received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1974.

Personal life

Weingarten was married to Sylvia Thalberg from 1928 to 1939 and Jessie Marmorston from 1945 until his death.

Death

He died at the age of 77 on February 5, 1975, of

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ...

. He was interred at the

Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery The Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary is a Jewish cemetery located at 6001 West Centinela Avenue, in Culver City, California. Many Jews from the entertainment industry are buried here. The cemetery is known for Al Jolson's elaborate tomb (desig ...

Filmography as producer

*''

The Broadway Melody ''The Broadway Melody'', also known as ''The Broadway Melody of 1929'', is a 1929 American pre-Code musical film and the first sound film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. It was one of the first musicals to feature a Technicolor seq ...

'' (1929) *'' Sidewalks of New York'' (1931) *''

Sadie McKee ''Sadie McKee'' is a 1934 American pre-Code, romantic-drama film directed by Clarence Brown, starring Joan Crawford, and featuring Gene Raymond, Franchot Tone, Edward Arnold, and Esther Ralston. The film is based on the 1933 short story "Pretty ...

'' (1934) *'' The Bishop Misbehaves'' (1935) *'' Rendezvous'' (1935) *''

Libeled Lady ''Libeled Lady'' is a 1936 screwball comedy film starring Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, and Spencer Tracy, written by George Oppenheimer, Howard Emmett Rogers, Wallace Sullivan, and Maurine Dallas Watkins, and directed by Jack Conway ...

'' (1936) (Academy Award nomination) *'' A Day at the Races'' (1937) (uncredited) *'' I Take This Woman'' (1940) *''

I Love You Again ''I Love You Again'' is an MGM comedy released in 1940. It was directed by W.S. Van Dyke and starred William Powell and Myrna Loy, all three of whom were prominently involved in the '' Thin Man'' film series. Plot In 1940, while on a cruise, st ...

'' (1940) *''

'' (1949) *'' Invitation'' (1952) *'' Pat and Mike'' (1952) *''

The Actress ''The Actress'' is a 1953 American comedy-drama film based on Ruth Gordon's autobiographical play ''Years Ago''. Gordon herself wrote the screenplay. The film was directed by George Cukor and stars Jean Simmons, Spencer Tracy, and Teresa Wright, ...

'' (1953) *'' Rhapsody'' (1954) *'' The Tender Trap'' (1955) *''

'' (1955) *'' Don't Go Near the Water'' (1957) *''

'' (1958) (Academy Award and BAFTA nominations) *'' The Honeymoon Machine'' (1961) * '' Period of Adjustment'' (1962) *'' The Unsinkable Molly Brown''(1964)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Weingarten, Lawrence 1897 births 1975 deaths American Jews American film producers Film producers from Illinois People from Chicago Deaths from leukemia Deaths from cancer in California