Samuel Goldwyn

Samuel Goldwyn, born Szmuel Gelbfisz, was a Jewish Polish film producer and glove maker who became one of the most powerful movie studio owners in early Hollywood. After a succession of associations Goldwyn became an independent producer. By 1925 he had established a reputation for making “family” films of high quality and meticulous production values that lasted throughout his long career. Among the writers he employed were Robert Sherwood, Sinclair Lewis, and Lillian Hellman. Some of the stars who began their careers with Goldwyn included Gary Cooper, David Niven, and Lucille Ball.