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Sol Lesser is a Actor, Director, Producer and Presenter American born on 17 february 1890 at Washington (USA)

Sol Lesser

Sol Lesser
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Nationality USA
Birth 17 february 1890 at Washington (USA)
Death 19 september 1980 (at 90 years) at Hollywood (USA)

Sol Lesser (February 17, 1890, Spokane, Washington – September 19, 1980, Hollywood) was an American film producer and presenter.

Biography

En 1915, alors qu'il vit à San Francisco, Sol Lesser apprend que les autorités vont assainir la Barbary Coast, un quartier chaud de la ville, qui héberge cercles de jeu, bars et maisons closes.

Muni d'une caméra et accompagné de son ami et futur directeur de la photographie Hal Mohr, les deux compères sillonnent les rues du quartier, filmant principalement les endroits les plus connus avant leur disparition. Il en résulte un documentaire, aujourd'hui disparu, intitulé The Last Night of the Barbary Coast, censé montré les dernières images de ce quartier, dont les travaux de réhabilitation se sont achevés en 1917.

The Last Night of the Barbary Coast, vendu directement par Sol Lesser aux exploitants de salles de cinéma, est un premier exemple d'un film d'exploitation. Sol Lesser possède rapidement un réseau de salles car il investit les bénéfices engrangés par ces ventes dans le rachat de la chaîne West Coast Theaters.

Il aborde ensuite la production dans les années 1930 en créant sa propre compagnie, Principal Pictures Corp., qui produit plus de 100 films, majoritairement de série B. Dans cette importante production, figurent 16 films de la série des Tarzan, de 1933 à 1958, avec, dans le rôle de l'homme de la jungle, 4 acteurs, Buster Crabbe (2 films), Johnny Weissmuller (6 films), Lex Barker (5 films) et Gordon Scott (3 films).

À l'automne 1941, il est engagé par la RKO Pictures comme producteur exécutif mais, désireux de retrouver la liberté du cinéma indépendant, il la quitte au mois de février 1942 afin de rejoindre la Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers créée en 1941 par Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, Orson Welles, Samuel Goldwyn, David O.

Usually with

Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Sol Lesser (53 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Director

Producer

Tarzan and the Trappers
Directed by Charles F. Haas, H. Bruce Humberstone
Origin USA
Genres Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about children, Tarzan films
Actors Gordon Scott, Eve Brent, Rickie Sorensen, Scatman Crothers, Maurice Marsac, Bruce Lester
Roles Producer
Rating49% 2.453992.453992.453992.453992.45399
The idyllic jungle life of Tarzan (Gordon Scott), Jane (Eve Brent) and Tartu (Rickie Sorensen) is interrupted by a drum message telling them of predatory hunters loose in the jungle. Tarzan disrupts the animal-collecting expedition of the hunters, Schroeder (Lesley Bradley) and Rene (Maurice Marsac); he frees a baby elephant whose mother they have killed and then leads the elephant herd against them when they make hostages of Tartu and Cheeta the chimp. Afterwards he warns off two other hunters, Sikes (Saul Gorse) and Lapin (William Keene), seeking to plunder the lost city of Zarbo. He is attacked by their men, but escapes and shadows their party. Aware of Tarzan's continued presence, the hunters capture his native friend Tyana (Sherman Crothers), and trap the ape man when he tries to free him. Tyana's tribe rescues the two. Finally, the hunters reach Zarbo, but find it empty of both people and treasure. In a final conflict, Tarzan overcomes the villains, who are then turned over to the authorities by the natives.
Tarzan's Fight for Life, 1h26
Directed by H. Bruce Humberstone
Origin USA
Genres Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about children, Tarzan films
Actors Gordon Scott, Eve Brent, Woody Strode, James Edwards, Carl Benton Reid, Harry Lauter
Roles Producer
Rating52% 2.6089852.6089852.6089852.6089852.608985
Jungle medics Dr. Sturdy (Carl Benton Reid) and his daughter Anne (Jil Jarmyn) are opposed by witch doctor Futa (James Edwards) of the Nagasu tribe, who regards their work as a threat to his own livelihood. Futa incites the tribe to waylay Anne's fiance Dr. Ken Warwick (Harry Lauter), who is saved by Tarzan (Gordon Scott). Later Tarzan and his adopted son Tartu (Rickie Sorensen) enlist the doctors' services on behalf of Jane (Eve Brent), suffering from appendicitis. Futa hypnotizes Moto (Nick Stewart), a native assistant of Sturdy, to murder Jane, but Tarzan thwarts the plot. Learning that the young Nagasu chief (Roy Glenn) is sick, Tarzan attempts to persuade them to let Sturdy treat them. Seizing his chance, Futa has the ape man taken captive and condemned to death. To restore his own credentials, the witch doctor then undertakes to cure the chief himself, hedging his bets by having his henchman Ramo (Woody Strode) steal medicine from Sturdy. Unfortunately, Ramo purloins a poison by mistake. Freeing himself, Tarzan intervenes and prevents the administration of the poison to the chief; Futa then swallows it himself to demonstrate that there is no harm in it — and dies. Dr. Sturdy is consequently called in, successfully curing the chief.
Tarzan's Hidden Jungle, 1h13
Directed by Harold D. Schuster
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about children, Tarzan films
Actors Gordon Scott, Vera Miles, Jack Elam, Charles Fredericks, Peter van Eyck, Richard Reeves
Roles Producer
Rating54% 2.706072.706072.706072.706072.70607
Two hunters come into the jungle intent on killing as many animals as they can in order to get barrels of animal fat, lion skins and elephant tusks. Tarzan tries to help a baby elephant, one of their first victims. He takes the elephant to an animal doctor and his female assistant, who have pitched their tents in the jungle to do business. The hunters turn up and pretend they are photographers and have the doctor escort them to where the animals are. They leave the doctor and start killing animals. His assistant finds out what they're really up to and goes after them but needs Tarzan's help when she stumbles into quicksand. He rescues her, and she says she needs a bath so Tarzan throws her into the river.
Vice Squad
Vice Squad (1953)
, 1h27
Directed by Arnold Laven
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Noir, Crime
Actors Edward G. Robinson, Christine White, Paulette Goddard, Porter Hall, K. T. Stevens, Lee Van Cleef
Roles Producer
Rating65% 3.292253.292253.292253.292253.29225
A married undertaker having an affair, Jack Hartrampf, is a reluctant eyewitness to the shooting of a Los Angeles cop. He does not wish to testify, but captain of detectives "Barney" Barnaby is just as determined.
Tarzan's Peril
Directed by Byron Haskin
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about children, Tarzan films
Actors Lex Barker, Virginia Huston, Dorothy Dandridge, George Macready, Glenn Anders, Alan Napier
Roles Producer
Rating57% 2.852412.852412.852412.852412.85241
des bagnards évadés vendent des armes à une tribu indigène guerrière.
Tarzan and the Slave Girl, 1h14
Origin USA
Genres Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about children, Tarzan films
Actors Lex Barker, Vanessa Brown, Robert Alda, Hurd Hatfield, Arthur Shields, Denise Darcel
Roles Producer
Rating57% 2.852022.852022.852022.852022.85202
Tarzan and Jane are spending some time by a river when they hear a scream. A local tribal girl has gone missing, and the tribes people believe this is due to some evil spirit. Tarzan and Jane quickly realize the girl has been kidnapped. The kidnappers are Lionians, a "lost" culture of Caucasians who have a culture similar to ancient Egypt and who worship lions. The Lionians are kidnapping girls throughout the region to bring back to their city deep in the jungle. But they have brought a terrible disease with them which can kill within hours. Tarzan seeks the help of Dr. Campbell, who has a serum that can both cure the disease as well as vaccinate against it. After saving the local tribe, Dr. Campbell and Tarzan (with the help of Neil, a drunken big game hunter) head for the Lionian city. Meanwhile, Dr. Campbell's native assistant, the buxom and blonde Lola, has fallen for Tarzan. Jane and Lola have a fight, after which both women are captured by a Lionian raiding party.
Tarzan's Magic Fountain, 1h13
Origin USA
Genres Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about children, Transport films, Aviation films, Tarzan films
Actors Lex Barker, Brenda Joyce, Albert Dekker, Evelyn Ankers, Charles Drake, Alan Napier
Roles Producer
Rating59% 2.9505852.9505852.9505852.9505852.950585
Ankers portrays an aviatrix who walks out of the jungle looking decades younger than her chronological age due to a secret fountain of youth but gradually begins a terrifying accelerated aging process. Against Tarzan's wishes, she and Jane begin a desperate search for the fountain.
Tarzan and the Mermaids, 1h8
Directed by Robert Florey
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about animals, Films about children, Le thème de l'enfant sauvage, Films about apes, L'enfance marginalisée, Tarzan films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, George Zucco, Andrea Palma, Linda Christian, Edward Ashley-Cooper
Roles Producer
Rating56% 2.8058652.8058652.8058652.8058652.805865
The setting is a coastal African village where swimming and diving are central to the culture, hence the term "the Mermaids." Tarzan and Jane (Brenda Joyce) help a native girl (Linda Christian) who has fled the village to avoid a forced marriage to a supposed local god. George Zucco portrays Palanth, the corrupt high priest attempting to force the girl into marriage, and Fernando Wagner plays a con man impersonating the god Balu.
The Red House, 1h40
Directed by Delmer Daves
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror, Noir
Actors Edward G. Robinson, Lon McCallister, Judith Anderson, Rory Calhoun, Julie London, Allene Roberts
Roles Producer
Rating66% 3.3460653.3460653.3460653.3460653.346065
Handicapped farmer Pete Morgan (Edward G. Robinson) and sister Ellen (Judith Anderson) live on an isolated farm with their adoptive daughter, Meg (Allene Roberts) who is actually their niece. They keep to themselves and are viewed as mysterious by the nearby town. Now a teenager, Meg convinces Pete to hire one of her 12th grade high school classmates, Nath Storm (Lon McCallister) to come help with chores on the farm. Everyone gets along great, until Nath says he is going to take a shortcut home through the old woods to go home. The woods are part of Pete's property and he forbids anyone from entering them. Pete becomes agitated, insisting the woods are dangerous and contain a haunted house which is painted red, and that Nath must stay out.
Tarzan and the Huntress, 1h12
Directed by Kurt Neumann
Origin USA
Genres Fantasy, Adventure
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about animals, Films about children, Le thème de l'enfant sauvage, Films about apes, L'enfance marginalisée, Tarzan films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Johnny Sheffield, Patricia Morison, Barton MacLane, John Warburton
Roles Producer
Rating60% 3.0459653.0459653.0459653.0459653.045965
Due to a shortage of animals in American zoos following World War II, Tanya Rawlins (Patricia Morison), a big-game "huntress," Carl Marley (John Warburton), her financial backer and Paul Weir (Barton MacLane), a cruel trail boss, are given permission by King Farrod (Charles Trowbridge), to capture a male and female of each species of animal on his land.
Tarzan and the Leopard Woman, 1h12
Directed by Kurt Neumann
Origin USA
Genres Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about animals, Films about children, Le thème de l'enfant sauvage, Films about apes, L'enfance marginalisée, Tarzan films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Johnny Sheffield, Acquanetta, Edgar Barrier, Dennis Hoey
Roles Producer
Rating60% 3.0474953.0474953.0474953.0474953.047495
Travelers near Zambezi are being killed, apparently by leopards. The commissioner (Dennis Hoey) asks Tarzan to look into the matter. Tarzan immediately doubts that leopards are the problem. At the same time, Tarzan, Jane, and Boy take in Kimba, a boy who claims to have become lost in the jungle. Kimba (Tommy Cook) is the brother of Queen Lea, leader of a leopard cult. She has dispatched him to spy on Tarzan. Queen Lea also conspires with Ameer Lazar (Edgar Barrier), a Western-educated doctor who resents the West's domination of the area.
Tarzan and the Amazons, 1h16
Directed by Kurt Neumann
Genres Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Films set in Africa, Films about children, Tarzan films
Actors Johnny Weissmuller, Brenda Joyce, Johnny Sheffield, Henry Stephenson, Maria Ouspenskaïa, Barton MacLane
Roles Producer
Rating62% 3.101933.101933.101933.101933.10193
Tarzan and Boy, on their way to meet Jane, who is returning from nursing work in England to support the war effort, rescue an "Amazon" woman from an attack by a black panther. During the attack, she drops a golden bracelet which Cheeta picks up. The Amazon woman's ankle is twisted in the incident and she cannot walk. Telling Boy to wait for him, Tarzan carries the woman through a mountain pass to the valley where her city of Palmyria is located. Boy disobeys Tarzan, follows them at a distance, and discovers the location of the city, then returns to wait for Tarzan.