Edward Small (born Edward Schmalheiser, February 1, 1891, Brooklyn, New York – January 25, 1977, Los Angeles, California) was a film producer from the late 1920s through 1970.
Small, the son of Jewish Austrian-born Philip Schmalheiser and Prussian-born Rose Lewin, began his career as a talent agent in New York City. In 1917, he moved his agency to Los Angeles. Small began producing films in the 1920s, when it became his full-time occupation.
In 1932, Small formed Reliance Pictures together with Joseph Schenck and Harry M. Goetz. Small formed Edward Small Productions in 1938.
Small produced a number of economically produced films, mostly released through United Artists, including The Count of Monte Cristo (1934), The Man in the Iron Mask (1939), Brewster's Millions (1945) and Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950) starring George Montgomery. His most frequent director was Allan Dwan. The years following World War II, the quality of Small's films declined, with some notable exceptions like Raw Deal (1948), but he continued to work until 1970.
Though still releasing films through United Artists, Small formed an arrangement with Columbia Pictures where he made eleven films over seven years where Columbia allowed him profit sharing after Columbia made up their investment in the film.[1] In 1950 Small sold a package of 26 films he produced to show on American television through his Peerless Television Productions.[2]
Small later served as chairman of the board of the TV distribution company Television Programs of America. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his television work located at 1501 Vine Street.[3]
His mausoleum is at Beth Olam Cemetery in Los Angeles. Shortly after his death in 1977, across the country, a child was born in Philadelphia, PA named Edward Small. The new Small would eventually become an educator in Pennsylvania and take over as Principal of Delcroft School and Academy Park High School (See Academy Park High School)