The Warner Brothers, Judaism, and the Birth of Hollywood

I never thought of Warner Bros as a Jewish studio, but then I learned the brothers’ names—Harry (Hirsz), Albert (Aaron), Sam (Szmul), and Jack (Itzhak). These four Jewish brothers, who immigrated from Poland in the late 1880s, were a case study of Jewish success early in the movie business.

But why don’t we often hear about their Jewish identity? It wasn’t that these Hollywood pioneers weren’t proud of their Judaism; it was that they lived in a highly antisemitic environment. They knew that overt displays of their Judaism would limit their opportunities and then endanger their business. As a result, they chose to downplay their heritage publicly while privately maintaining their cultural and religious pride. This strategic invisibility was a means of survival and success in a world that wasn’t always welcoming.

The Warner brothers weren’t alone in this endeavor. Many of Hollywood’s most iconic figures were also Jewish immigrants or the children of Jewish immigrants. For example, Louis B. Mayer (Lazar Meir) co-founded MGM, while Samuel Goldwyn (Szmul Gelbfisz) helped establish Paramount Pictures. Even on-screen, Jewish actors like Kirk Douglas (Issur Danielovitch) and Lauren Bacall (Betty Joan Perske) became legends, though their heritage was often obscured.

Why are there so many Jews in early Hollywood? This fact is more a reflection of the opportunities available to them and their determination to succeed against the odds, rather than some cultural strategy. Jews were unable to get many jobs. But moving to Hollywood and dealing with this seedy new business, that was OK.

So when we hear people say “The Jews run Hollywood,” we should respond, “We have other things to do now.” Today, Jews can have many different jobs and many different types of people are leading Hollywood. But we should remember those difficult days when Jews, facing exclusion and prejudice, found one of the few paths open to them. Their success in Hollywood wasn’t because they were Jewish but in spite of it. They thrived due to their creativity and resilience, overcoming barriers in an antisemitic society.