CARLA LAEMMLE Celebrates her Centennial & Honor Gala

Story By Esteban “Steven” Escobar, Diversity News Staff

Photos By Alex Palomares, Diversity News Photographer

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CARLA LAEMMLE celebrates her 100th Birthday & honor gala with friends, peers and family members. Carla was honored and recognized of her work on October 20, 2009 at The Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, CA.

More then 500 people attended the event. Carla received honors and birthday wishes from very reputable politicians, friends and celebrities. Some of the wishes came from former first ladies and President Bush. CA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles mayor; Antonio Villaraigosa including others acknowledge her with great honor and recognition for the contribution to our society. Carla was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution.


“It was an honor to host a party for Carla Laemmle. She's one of the last living silent film stars, and that's amazing. But what's more, her family sacrificed so much to save Jewish refugees during World War II. She's led an extraordinary life. And she knows how to party, even at 100.” Said Carla's friend & event host Tom Tangen.

He continue “Carla was moved during the video presentation. The video featured clips of her various films including"Dracula" with Bela Lugosi and"The Phantom of the Opera" with Lon Chaney. The crowd cheered, the mayor and governor sent commendations for her. She was thrilled.”

At the end Carla thank every one who were present and who send her wishes. Then later she walked to the reception area with Tom Tangem.

“There were 500 in attendance, which is a compliment for any star. But especially for a woman who has lived 100 years in Hollywood, and has as broad and diverse a resume as any diva in Tinsel town.” Mr. Tangen concluded.

The event was hosted at The Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, CA and sponsored by Famous Monsters Of Filmland, Universal Studios & American Cimematheque At The Egyptian.

Per Elusive Entertainment CARLA LAEMMLE was “One of the oldest living silent film stars, and the first ever to speak in a talking horror picture, Dracula (1931), Carla Laemmle returns to her original Phantom of the Opera stage at Universal Studios-- the studio that her uncle Carl Laemmle founded. Carla spent her childhood on the Universal lot and was the prima ballerina in the 1925 version of Phantom of the Opera with Lon Chaney.”

She was recently celebrated with a lifetime achievement award at the Southern California Motion Picture Council. Carla is a follower of Buddhist philosophies, and a survivor of the McCarthy Black List era. Carla Laemmle sheds light on Hollywood, then and now.

For more information about CARLA LAEMMLE you can visit: http://www.amongtheruggedpeaks.com/

EDITOR NOTE: Esteban “Steven” Escobar of Diversity News wants to officially thanks again Tom Tangen for the VIP invitation. It was an unforgettable event. Also thanks to Kristen Snyder, Managing Editor of Famous Monster of Filmland for the help and recognition to me and Diversity News. Last but not least to CARLA LAEMMLE “HAPPY BIRTHDAY.” When I went to thank Tom for the VIP invitation, I wished her Happy Birthday and she was so sweet. Sources: Tom Tangen, Elusive Entertainment Productions and special thanks to The Famous Monsters of Filmland (video footage), Robert Aragon (video footage) , The American Cinemateque ,The Egyptian Theatre, Mike Donaghue ,Inge Jaklin, Bela Lugosi Jr., Universal Studios and The Southern California Motion Picture Council.

CARLA LAEMMLE CELEBRATES HER 100TH BIRTHDAY WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Los Angeles, CA – On October 6, 2009 Famous Monsters of Filmland announced the American actress, Carla Laemmle, niece of Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle, will be celebrating her 100th birthday with her family and friends at the American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. The Cinematheque at the Egyptian is located at 6712 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028. She will be presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards by Tom Tangen, Inge Jaklin and Dr. Udo Bayer.

Special invited guests include Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Marvin Paige, Ray Bradbury, Leonard Maltin, Rick Baker, George Clayton Johnson, Sara Karloff, Bela Lugosi Jr., Leonard Neubauer, Scott MacQueen, Gloria Stuart, Earl Hamner, Lupita Tovar, Bob Burns, Ron Chaney, David Skall, and others.

Carla Laemmle’s birthday is a celebration of over eight decades in cinema. The actress has lived a most extraordinary life, growing up on her uncle’s Universal lot and witnessing the early years of Hollywood’s growth. At just 16 she was the prima ballerina who danced in the Lon Chaney classic The Phantom of the Opera (1925). She also spoke the first lines in Universal’s first “talkie movie” Dracula (1931) starring Bela Lugosi, the classic horror film that established the beginning of Universal Pictures’ success and legacy in popular horror films. Carla Laemmle is now the last surviving cast member of both films.

Laemmle continued to star in small roles until the late 1930s and recently became the subject of two biographies titled after her immortal opening lines. The first is a written biography by Rick Atkins called Among the Rugged Peaks: An Intimate Biography of Carla Laemmle. The second is a film biography, Among The Rugged Peaks, by actor, producer, and director, and interviewer, Tom Tangen, a red carpet favorite who has cataloged over 2,000 celebrity interviews. The film, edited by Emmy-winning Mary DeChambres, will debut in 2010 from Elusive Entertainment [AmongTheRuggedPeaks.com].

In May 2009, Carla Laemmle also co-authored a book with Daniel Kinske, Growing Up With Monsters: My Times at Universal Studios in Rhymes, detailing her experiences growing up on a motion picture studio lot. The instant hit offered an introduction by sci-fi legend Ray Bradbury and illustrations by Jack Davis and Hermann Mejia. Sponsored by Famous Monsters of Filmland and Universal Studios, the VIP private, invitation- only event will begin at 4:30pm with a dinner followed by special events. After-dinner celebrations include Carla Laemmle’s Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony, a ballet performance organized by Famous Monsters of Filmland’s Robert Aragon, musical performances, a speech from the birthday girl, and concluding with a coffee and birthday cake social hour featuring live piano.

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