Hollywood Genealogy

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Louis B. Mayer

Male 1884 - 1957  (73 years)


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  • Name Louis B. Mayer  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12] 
    Born 12 Jul 1884  Dymer, Russia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10] 
    Gender Male 
    Also Known As Ezemiel Mayer  [9] 
    Also Known As Lazar Mayer  [9] 
    Also Known As Lazar Meir  [9] 
    Also Known As Louis Burt Mayer  [5, 8, 9] 
    Also Known As Louis Burton Mayer  [9] 
    Arrival Abt 1890  Saint John, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    Immigration Abt 1890  Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    Census 31 Mar 1901  Saint John, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    Occupation 31 Mar 1901  [10] 
    clerk 
    Arrival 3 Jan 1904  Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    Immigration 3 Jan 1904  USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [6, 13] 
    Occupation 14 Jun 1904  [4] 
    merchant 
    Residence 14 Jun 1904  Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Occupation 11 Feb 1910  [6] 
    theatrical manager 
    Residence 11 Feb 1910  Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    Census 20 Apr 1910  Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [14] 
    Occupation 20 Apr 1910  [14] 
    theatre manager 
    Property 20 Apr 1910  [14] 
    rented his home at this time 
    Fact 11 Sep 1918  [8] 
    drafted to serve in the U.S. Military during World War I 
    Occupation 11 Sep 1918  [8] 
    President and General Manager of Anita Stewart Production, Inc. 
    Residence 11 Sep 1918  Brookline, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [8] 
    Census 7 Jan 1920  Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [15] 
    Occupation 7 Jan 1920  [15] 
    producer of motion pictures 
    Property 7 Jan 1920  [15] 
    rented his home at this time 
    Fact 1927  [9] 
    one of the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 
    Census 14 Apr 1930  Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [13] 
    Occupation 14 Apr 1930  [13] 
    film producer 
    Property 14 Apr 1930  [13] 
    owned his home at this time 
    Residence 18 Apr 1930  Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [11] 
    Residence 1 Apr 1935  Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [16] 
    Census 17 Apr 1940  Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [16] 
    Occupation 17 Apr 1940  [16] 
    executive of a motion picture company 
    Property 17 Apr 1940  [16] 
    owned his home at this time 
    Fact 25 Apr 1942  [5] 
    drafted to serve in the U.S. Military during World War II 
    Occupation chairman of the California Republican party  [9] 
    Occupation 25 Apr 1942  [5] 
    worker for Loew's, Inc. 
    Residence 25 Apr 1942  Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [5] 
    Died 29 Oct 1957  Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3, 7, 9] 
    Buried 31 Oct 1957  Home of Peace Memorial Park, East Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 7, 9] 
    Person ID I1  Mayer Genealogy
    Last Modified 25 Jul 2020 

    Father Jacob Mayer,   b. Apr 1848, Russia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Apr 1930, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 82 years) 
    Mother Sarah Meltzer,   b. 2 Dec 1851, Russia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Oct 1913, Saint John, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 61 years) 
    Married 3 Jun 1918  Manhattan, New York, New York, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [17] 
    Family ID F5  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Margaret Shenberg 
    Children 
     1. Edith A. Mayer,   b. 14 Aug 1905, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Jun 1988, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years)
    +2. Irene G. Mayer,   b. 2 Apr 1907, New York, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Oct 1990, Manhattan, New York, New York, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 83 years)
    Last Modified 25 Jul 2020 
    Family ID F1  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Lorena Layson,   b. 20 Mar 1907, Waycross, Ware, Georgia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Mar 1985, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years) 
    Married 4 Dec 1948  [9] 
    Last Modified 25 Jul 2020 
    Family ID F4  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos

    press photo of Louis B. Mayer and wife Lorena Danker
    Louis B. Mayer, 1919    		Louis B. Mayer, 1919
    photo of Louis B. Mayer from the Exhibitor's Herald, 28 Jun 1919.
    Louis B. Mayer and Joan Crawford, 1953    		Louis B. Mayer and Joan Crawford, 1953
    Louis B. Mayer and Joan Crawford at the premiere of "Torch Song," 19 Nov 1953

  • Notes 
    • LOUIS B. MAYER RITES TO BE TODAY

      Actress Jeanette MacDonald, one of the many stars who attained fame under Louis B. Mayer, will sing “Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life” during funeral services to be conducted for the producer today.

      All film studios have been asked by the Motion Picture Association to observe one minute of silence at 11:50 a.m.

      Services, with Rabbi Edgar Magnin officiating, will be at noon in Wilshire Boulevard Temple. Actor Spencer Tracy will read a tribute to Mr. Mayer, who died early Tuesday in UCLA Medical Center of acute anemia brought on by leukemia. He was 72.

      Burial will be private at the Home of Peace Cemetery.

      Hundreds of Hollywood’s famous are expected to attend the funeral services.

      source: “LOUIS B. MAYER RITES TO BE TODAY.” Los Angeles, CA: The Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct 1957, p. 41.

  • Sources 
    1. [S1] U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]., Find A Grave, Inc., (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012).

    2. [S3] California, Death Index, 1940-1997 [database on-line]., California Department of Public Health, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000).

    3. [S2] U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]., Social Security Administration, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015).

    4. [S15] Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840-1915 [database on-line]., New England Historic Genealogical Society, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013).

    5. [S18] Louis Burt Mayer, World War II Draft Registration Card, 25 Apr 1942, Record Group No. 147; U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 [database on-line]., National Archives and Records Administration, ( Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010).

    6. [S19] Louis Bert Mayer, Declaration of Intention No. 9224, 11 Feb 1910, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; Massachusetts, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1798-1950 [database on-line]., National Archives and Records Administration, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011).

    7. [S20] “LOUIS B. MAYER RITES TO BE TODAY.”, (Los Angeles, CA: The Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct 1957, p. 41).

    8. [S21] Louis Burt Mayer, World War I Draft Registration Card, 11 Sep 1918, National Archives Microfilm Roll 1685068; U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]., National Archives and Records Administration, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005).

    9. [S22] "Louis B. Mayer.", Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_B._Mayer, 21 Jul 2020).

    10. [S25] 1901 Canada Census, Saint John, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; 1901 Census of Canada [database on-line]., Library and Archives Canada, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006).

    11. [S32] “Mayer Funeral to be Tomorrow.”, (Los Angeles, CA: The Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr 1930, p. 16).

    12. [S33] Obituary of Jerry G. Mayer, (Boston, MA: The Boston Globe, 30 Sep 1947, p. 16).

    13. [S5] 1930 United States Federal Census, Santa Monica, Enumeration District 1476, Los Angeles County, California; 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]., National Archives and Records Administration, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002).

    14. [S16] 1910 United States Federal Census, Haverhill Ward 5, Enumeration District 315, Essex County, Massachusetts, National Archives Microfilm Roll T624_582; 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]., National Archives and Records Administration, (Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006).

    15. [S6] 1920 United States Federal Census, Los Angeles Assembly District 63, Enumeration District 163, Los Angeles County, California; National Archives Microfilm Roll Roll T625_106; 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]., National Archives and Records Administration, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.).

    16. [S17] 1940 United States Federal Census, Santa Monica, Enumeration District 19-779, Los Angeles County, California; Roll: m-t0627-00257; 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]., National Archives and Records Administration, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012).

    17. [S29] New York, New York, Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937 [database on-line]., Ancestry.com, (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014).