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Samuel Zierler
Samuel Zierler
Samuel Zierler
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Samuel Zierler (1895–1964) was an American film producer of the silent and early sound era.[1] As well as working for various studios, in the late 1920s he controlled his own production company, Excellent Pictures. His final film work was for RKO Pictures in 1933.

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Samuel Zierler

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''Samuel Zierler'' is an Austrian-born American film producer known for his contributions to Hollywood during the silent film era and the early years of sound cinema in the 1920s and 1930s. Born on March 5, 1895, and passing away in October 1964, Zierler produced a variety of films, often working independently or with smaller studios on low-budget productions. He also served as a production manager on some projects. His notable credits include ''Cordelia the Magnificent'' (1923), ''The Costello Case'' (1930), ''Salvation Nell'' (1931), ''Good-bye Love'' (1933), and ''Tomorrow at Seven'' (1933), among others. Through his work with entities such as Samuel Zierler Photoplay Corp., he contributed to films starring performers like Clara Kimball Young. Zierler's career spanned the transition from silent to sound films, reflecting the evolving landscape of American cinema in the pre-Code era. Though not among the most prominent producers of his time, his output provides insight into the independent and studio-affiliated filmmaking practices of the period.

Early life

Birth and background

Samuel Zierler was born on March 5, 1895, in Austria. Some sources list his birthplace as Brooklyn, New York, United States. No verified details are available regarding his family background or education. Prior to producing films, he owned the Commonwealth Film Exchange, and his first foray into filmmaking was in 1922.

Career

Early productions (1923–1926)

Samuel Zierler entered the film industry as an independent producer in the early silent era, initially associated with the Samuel Zierler Photoplay Corporation around 1922–1923. His first verified producer credits appeared in 1923 with the release of Cordelia the Magnificent, The Woman of Bronze, and A Wife's Romance. These films represented his early work in low-budget independent productions, typical of Poverty Row operations during the period. After a brief hiatus, Zierler resumed production in 1926 with A Man of Quality and Striving for Fortune. These credits solidified his role as a small-scale producer specializing in silent features before he transitioned to controlling his own larger production entity in the late 1920s.

Excellent Pictures period (1927–1929)

In the late 1920s, Samuel Zierler controlled his own production company, Excellent Pictures Corporation, serving as its president circa 1928 and overseeing its operations during its primary active years from circa 1927 to circa 1929. The company leased the Associated Studios (formerly Louis B. Mayer Studios) in Los Angeles for its productions, functioning as a Poverty Row independent outfit specializing in low-budget silent features, predominantly in the romance, drama, and action genres. This period marked the peak of Zierler's independent output, with sources noting approximately 24 presenter credits across the late silent era, aligning with his extensive producer roles for Excellent Pictures. His credits included such titles as The Broadway Drifter (1927), The Winning Oar (1927), Your Wife and Mine (1927), His Rise to Fame (1927), Broadway Madness (1927), A Bowery Cinderella (1927), Back to Liberty (1927), The Nest (1927), Satan and the Woman (1928), The Stronger Will (1928), Women Who Dare (1928), Inspiration (1928), A Bit of Heaven (1928), Making the Varsity (1928), Manhattan Knights (1928), The Speed Classic (1928), Into No Man's Land (1928), Passion Song (1928), Life's Crossroads (1928), Broken Barriers (1928), Confessions of a Wife (1928), The Clean Up (1929), The Dream Melody (1929), One Splendid Hour (1929), Montmartre Rose (1929), Daughters of Desire (1929), and The Talk of Hollywood (1929). For instance, Making the Varsity (1928) was produced by Zierler and released as an Excellent Pictures production.

Sound era and final credits (1930–1933)

Samuel Zierler transitioned into the sound era by producing several early talkies between 1930 and 1933, working as a producer and occasionally in production management roles after his independent silent-era ventures. His credits during this period included The Costello Case (1930), She Got What She Wanted (1930), Hell Bound (1931), Women Go on Forever (1931), Command Performance (1931), and Salvation Nell (1931). Command Performance (1931) stood out among his work, alongside later titles for which he is notably recognized. In 1932, Zierler produced Men Are Such Fools, released through RKO Pictures. His activity culminated in 1933 with a series of productions, including Tomorrow at Seven, Racetrack, Goodbye Love, and Sailor Be Good, some co-produced with Joseph I. Schnitzer. Tomorrow at Seven and Goodbye Love particularly highlighted his late-career contributions in the early sound period. Zierler's final credited work occurred in 1933 for RKO Pictures, marking the conclusion of his film career after a decade of producing across both silent and sound formats.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Samuel Zierler was married to Frieda. His death notice in The New York Times described him as the beloved husband of Frieda, devoted father of Judith Simon and Jodie Zierler, father-in-law of Walter Simon, dear brother of Katie Klinger, Gussie Sussman, and Philip Zierler, and loving grandfather. No further details about the date or circumstances of his marriage, the births of his children, or other aspects of his family life appear in available sources.

Death

Later years and passing

Samuel Zierler died in October 1964 at the age of 69 in California, United States. His burial details are unknown. Little is known about his life after his final film credits in the early 1930s, with no documented professional activities or public appearances in the intervening decades. As a producer primarily associated with low-budget Poverty Row studios during the silent and early sound eras, Zierler's contributions have received limited attention in modern film scholarship.
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