From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jack Leonard "J. L." Warner (August 2, 1892 – September 9, 1978), born Jacob Warner in London, Ontario, was a Canadian-American film executive who was the president and driving force behind the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. Warner's career spanned some 45 years, its duration surpassing that of any other of the seminal Hollywood studio moguls.
As co-head of production at Warner Bros. Studios, he worked with his brother, Sam Warner, to procure the technology for the film industry's first talking picture. After Sam's death, Jack clashed with his surviving older brothers, Harry and Albert Warner. He assumed exclusive control of the film production company in the 1950s, when he secretly purchased his brothers' shares in the business after convincing them to participate in a joint sale of stocks.
Although Warner was feared by many of his employees and inspired ridicule with his uneven attempts at humor, he earned respect for his shrewd instincts and tough-mindedness. He recruited many of Warner Bros.' top stars and promoted the hard-edged social dramas for which the studio became known. Given to decisiveness, Warner once commented, "If I'm right fifty-one percent of the time, I'm ahead of the game."
Throughout his career, he was viewed as a contradictory and enigmatic figure. Although he was a staunch Republican, Warner encouraged film projects that promoted the agenda of Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. He opposed European fascism and criticized Nazi Germany well before America's involvement in World War II. An opponent of Communism, after the war Warner appeared as a friendly witness before the House Un-American Activities Committee, voluntarily naming screenwriters who had been fired as suspected Communists or sympathizers. Despite his controversial public image, Warner remained a force in the motion picture industry until his retirement in the early 1970s.
Academy Awards
Best Picture
Golden Globe Awards
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Known For
The Big Sleep
(1946)
Executive Producer
Casablanca
(1943)
Executive Producer
My Fair Lady
(1964)
Producer
Gold Diggers of 1933
(1933)
Producer
Dark Passage
(1947)
Executive Producer
Mildred Pierce
(1945)
Executive Producer
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
(1948)
Executive Producer
Kid Galahad
(1937)
Executive Producer
'G' Men
(1935)
Executive Producer
The Adventures of Robin Hood
(1938)
Producer
Yankee Doodle Dandy
(1942)
Executive Producer
A Star Is Born
(1954)
Executive Producer
Captain Blood
(1935)
Executive Producer
Arsenic and Old Lace
(1944)
Producer
To Have and Have Not
(1945)
Executive Producer
Camelot
(1967)
Producer
Full Filmography
Production
The Terror
(1928)
Executive Producer
Outward Bound
(1930)
Producer
So Big!
(1932)
Producer
The Man Who Played God
(1932)
Executive Producer
The Working Man
(1933)
Producer
Gold Diggers of 1933
(1933)
Producer
Parachute Jumper
(1933)
Executive Producer
Here Comes the Navy
(1934)
Executive Producer
Upperworld
(1934)
Executive Producer
Housewife
(1934)
Producer
Jimmy the Gent
(1934)
Executive Producer
Hi, Nellie!
(1934)
Executive Producer
Dark Hazard
(1934)
Executive Producer
The Man with Two Faces
(1934)
Executive Producer
The Merry Frinks
(1934)
Executive Producer
The St. Louis Kid
(1934)
Executive Producer
Black Fury
(1935)
Executive Producer
Bordertown
(1935)
Executive Producer
Captain Blood
(1935)
Executive Producer
Dangerous
(1935)
Executive Producer
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(1935)
Executive Producer
Miss Pacific Fleet
(1935)
Executive Producer
'G' Men
(1935)
Executive Producer
China Clipper
(1936)
Executive Producer
The Story of Louis Pasteur
(1936)
Executive Producer
The Golden Arrow
(1936)
Executive Producer
The Green Pastures
(1936)
Executive Producer
Bengal Tiger
(1936)
Executive Producer
Jailbreak
(1936)
Executive Producer
Trailin' West
(1936)
Executive Producer
Fugitive in the Sky
(1936)
Executive Producer
Cain and Mabel
(1936)
Executive Producer
Two Against the World
(1936)
Executive Producer
California Mail
(1936)
Executive Producer
Love Begins at Twenty
(1936)
Executive Producer
Murder by an Aristocrat
(1936)
Executive Producer
Hearts Divided
(1936)
Executive Producer
Colleen
(1936)
Executive Producer
The Big Noise
(1936)
Executive Producer
Bullets or Ballots
(1936)
Executive Producer
The Charge of the Light Brigade
(1936)
Executive Producer
The Case of the Black Cat
(1936)
Executive Producer
Gold Diggers of 1937
(1936)
Executive Producer
Give Me Your Heart
(1936)
Executive Producer
Black Legion
(1937)
Executive Producer
Kid Galahad
(1937)
Executive Producer
Back in Circulation
(1937)
Executive Producer
Draegerman Courage
(1937)
Executive Producer
They Won't Forget
(1937)
Executive Producer
The Go-Getter
(1937)
Executive Producer
Tovarich
(1937)
Executive Producer
Slim
(1937)
Executive Producer
Another Dawn
(1937)
Executive Producer
Once a Doctor
(1937)
Executive Producer
That Certain Woman
(1937)
Executive Producer
The Cherokee Strip
(1937)
Executive Producer
West of Shanghai
(1937)
Executive Producer
That Man's Here Again
(1937)
Executive Producer
Melody for Two
(1937)
Executive Producer
Public Wedding
(1937)
Executive Producer
Talent Scout
(1937)
Executive Producer
The Adventurous Blonde
(1937)
Executive Producer
Fly Away Baby
(1937)
Executive Producer
Love Is on the Air
(1937)
Executive Producer
Green Light
(1937)
Executive Producer
The Littlest Diplomat
(1937)
Producer
Confession
(1937)
Executive Producer
Missing Witnesses
(1937)
Executive Producer
The Adventures of Robin Hood
(1938)
Producer
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
(1938)
Executive Producer
The Sisters
(1938)
Executive Producer
Penrod's Double Trouble
(1938)
Executive Producer
Torchy Gets Her Man
(1938)
Executive Producer
The Dawn Patrol
(1938)
Executive Producer
Torchy Blane in Panama
(1938)
Executive Producer
Four's a Crowd
(1938)
Executive Producer
Broadway Musketeers
(1938)
Executive Producer
Accidents Will Happen
(1938)
Executive Producer
Mystery House
(1938)
Executive Producer
Over the Wall
(1938)
Executive Producer
A Slight Case of Murder
(1938)
Executive Producer
Gold Is Where You Find It
(1938)
Executive Producer
Penrod and His Twin Brother
(1938)
Executive Producer
Blondes at Work
(1938)
Executive Producer
Breakdowns of 1938
(1938)
Executive Producer
Fools for Scandal
(1938)
Executive Producer
Men Are Such Fools
(1938)
Executive Producer
Angels with Dirty Faces
(1938)
Executive Producer
Boy Meets Girl
(1938)
Executive Producer
Hollywood Hotel
(1938)
Executive Producer
The Return of Doctor X
(1939)
Executive Producer
No Place to Go
(1939)
Executive Producer
They Made Me a Criminal
(1939)
Production Manager
Torchy Blane.. Playing with Dynamite
(1939)
Executive Producer
Torchy Blane in Chinatown
(1939)
Executive Producer
Code of the Secret Service
(1939)
Executive Producer
Smashing the Money Ring
(1939)
Executive Producer
On Dress Parade
(1939)
Executive Producer
Torchy Runs for Mayor
(1939)
Executive Producer
The Oklahoma Kid
(1939)
Executive Producer
Indianapolis Speedway
(1939)
Executive Producer
Private Detective
(1939)
Executive Producer
Sweepstakes Winner
(1939)
Executive Producer
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
(1939)
Executive Producer
Nancy Drew... Reporter
(1939)
Executive Producer
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
(1939)
Executive Producer
Waterfront
(1939)
Executive Producer
The Adventures of Jane Arden
(1939)
Executive Producer
Four Wives
(1939)
Executive In Charge Of Production
Daughters Courageous
(1939)
Executive In Charge Of Production
Juarez
(1939)
Executive In Charge Of Production
Confessions of a Nazi Spy
(1939)
Executive Producer
Dark Victory
(1939)
Executive In Charge Of Production
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
(1939)
Executive In Charge Of Production
Espionage Agent
(1939)
Executive In Charge Of Production
Santa Fe Trail
(1940)
Producer
It All Came True
(1940)
Executive Producer
Torrid Zone
(1940)
Production Manager
City for Conquest
(1940)
Production Manager
Murder in the Air
(1940)
Executive Producer
An Angel from Texas
(1940)
Production Manager
Tear Gas Squad
(1940)
Executive Producer
Gambling on the High Seas
(1940)
Executive Producer
Always a Bride
(1940)
Executive Producer
A Fugitive from Justice
(1940)
Executive Producer
Money and the Woman
(1940)
Production Executive
They Drive by Night
(1940)
Production Manager
River's End
(1940)
Executive Producer
The Fighting 69th
(1940)
Production Manager
Castle on the Hudson
(1940)
Executive In Charge Of Production
Flowing Gold
(1940)
Executive In Charge Of Production
Knute Rockne All American
(1940)
Executive In Charge Of Production
The Letter
(1940)
Executive In Charge Of Production
No Time for Comedy
(1940)
Producer
Virginia City
(1940)
Executive In Charge Of Production
The Man Who Came to Dinner
(1941)
Producer
Underground
(1941)
Executive Producer
Law of the Tropics
(1941)
Production Manager
Honeymoon for Three
(1941)
Executive In Charge Of Production
Yankee Doodle Dandy
(1942)
Executive Producer
Winning Your Wings
(1942)
Producer
Casablanca
(1943)
Executive Producer
Action in the North Atlantic
(1943)
Executive Producer
Destination Tokyo
(1943)
Executive Producer
Background to Danger
(1943)
Executive Producer
The Hard Way
(1943)
Executive Producer
Air Force
(1943)
Executive Producer
Old Acquaintance
(1943)
Executive Producer
This Is the Army
(1943)
Producer
Thank Your Lucky Stars
(1943)
Executive Producer
Watch on the Rhine
(1943)
Executive Producer
The Constant Nymph
(1943)
Executive Producer
Northern Pursuit
(1943)
Executive Producer
Edge of Darkness
(1943)
Executive Producer
Mission to Moscow
(1943)
Executive Producer
The United States Service Bands
(1943)
Executive Producer
Arsenic and Old Lace
(1944)
Producer
The Conspirators
(1944)
Executive Producer
The Mask of Dimitrios
(1944)
Executive Producer
Mr. Skeffington
(1944)
Executive Producer
Passage to Marseille
(1944)
Executive Producer
Hollywood Canteen
(1944)
Executive Producer
The Adventures of Mark Twain
(1944)
Executive Producer
The Shining Future
(1944)
Producer
Shine on Harvest Moon
(1944)
Executive Producer
Between Two Worlds
(1944)
Executive Producer
I Am an American
(1944)
Executive Producer
Uncertain Glory
(1944)
Executive Producer
Janie
(1944)
Executive Producer
Make Your Own Bed
(1944)
Executive Producer
In Our Time
(1944)
Executive Producer
To Have and Have Not
(1945)
Executive Producer
Conflict
(1945)
Executive Producer
Danger Signal
(1945)
Executive Producer
The Horn Blows at Midnight
(1945)
Executive Producer
The Corn Is Green
(1945)
Executive Producer
Mildred Pierce
(1945)
Executive Producer
San Antonio
(1945)
Executive Producer
Christmas in Connecticut
(1945)
Executive Producer
Roughly Speaking
(1945)
Executive Producer
Escape in the Desert
(1945)
Executive Producer
Hotel Berlin
(1945)
Executive Producer
Objective, Burma!
(1945)
Executive Producer
Pillow to Post
(1945)
Executive Producer
Pride of the Marines
(1945)
Executive Producer
The Big Sleep
(1946)
Executive Producer
Deception
(1946)
Executive Producer
Three Strangers
(1946)
Executive Producer
The Verdict
(1946)
Executive Producer
A Stolen Life
(1946)
Executive Producer
Shadow of a Woman
(1946)
Executive Producer
Cinderella Jones
(1946)
Executive Producer
Of Human Bondage
(1946)
Executive Producer
Devotion
(1946)
Executive Producer
Never Say Goodbye
(1946)
Executive Producer
Janie Gets Married
(1946)
Executive Producer
My Reputation
(1946)
Executive Producer
Nobody Lives Forever
(1946)
Executive Producer
The Man I Love
(1946)
Executive Producer
The Two Mrs. Carrolls
(1947)
Executive Producer
Cry Wolf
(1947)
Executive Producer
Deep Valley
(1947)
Executive Producer
Escape Me Never
(1947)
Executive Producer
My Wild Irish Rose
(1947)
Executive Producer
Nora Prentiss
(1947)
Producer
Stallion Road
(1947)
Executive Producer
Dark Passage
(1947)
Executive Producer
The Unfaithful
(1947)
Executive Producer
Humoresque
(1947)
Executive Producer
Possessed
(1947)
Executive Producer
Love and Learn
(1947)
Executive Producer
Life with Father
(1947)
Executive Producer
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
(1948)
Executive Producer
June Bride
(1948)
Executive Producer
Winter Meeting
(1948)
Executive Producer
The Woman in White
(1948)
Executive Producer
The Friendship Train
(1948)
Executive Producer
Whiplash
(1948)
Executive Producer
Silver River
(1948)
Executive Producer
Beyond the Forest
(1949)
Executive Producer
Night Unto Night
(1949)
Executive Producer
A Star Is Born
(1954)
Executive Producer
Battle Cry
(1955)
Producer
About Time
(1962)
Producer
My Fair Lady
(1964)
Producer
Camelot
(1967)
Producer
1776
(1972)
Producer
Dirty Little Billy
(1972)
Producer
Acting
Open Your Eyes
(1919)
Soldier (uncredited)
The 42nd Street Special
(1933)
Self (uncredited)
A Dream Comes True
(1935)
Himself (uncredited)
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
(1940)
Self
Show-Business at War
(1943)
Self
The Voice That Thrilled the World
(1943)
Self (archive footage)
Okay for Sound
(1946)
A Star Is Born World Premiere
(1954)
Self
A Look at the World of 'Soylent Green'
(1973)
Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
(1983)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul
(1993)
Himself (archive footage)
Discovering Treasure: The Story of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
(2005)
Self (archive footage)
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
(2006)
Self (voice) (archive footage)
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
(2006)
Self (archive footage)
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
(2009)
Self (archive footage)
Paris Hilton Inc.: The Selling of Celebrity
(2009)
Self (archive footage)
And the Oscar Goes To...
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Sid & Judy
(2019)
Self (archive photos)
Audrey
(2020)
Self - Film Producer (archive footage)
Directing
Writing
Crew