Sol Lesser

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sol Lesser (b. February 17, 1890 in Spokane, Washington - d. September 19, 1980 in Hollywood, California) was a film producer and presenter.

In 1915, When living in San Francisco, Lesser learned that the authorities were about to clean out the Barbary Coast district, a raucous area of gambling houses, saloons ans brothels. He grabbed a camera and a friend (future Hollywood cameraman Hal Mohr) and roamed all over the area, especially the parts that were best-known before the are was shut down. Lesser sold the resulting film, Last Night at the Barbary Coast, to theaters. With the profits, he bought several theaters, and soon owned a cinema chain.

Throughout his career made low-budget western and Tarzan movies.

Sol Lesser was the recipient of The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1960. He has a "Star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

[edit] External links

• Sol Lesser at the Internet Movie Database
• Sol Lesser at All Movie Guide