Short answers, pulled from the story.
Universal Pictures traces its origins to the 30th of April 1912 when Carl Laemmle and eight partners incorporated the Universal Film Manufacturing Company in New York City. The founders included Mark Dintenfass, Charles O. Baumann, Adam Kessel, Pat Powers, William Swanson, David Horsley, Robert H. Cochrane, and Jules Brulatour.
On the 15th of March 1915, Carl Laemmle opened Universal City Studios on a 230-acre converted farm just over the Cahuenga Pass from Hollywood. This location became the world's largest motion picture production facility at that time and remains a central hub for the company.
The end for the Laemmles came with a lavish version of Show Boat released in 1936 which went $300,000 over budget. Standard Capital Corporation called in the loan on the 2nd of April 1936 after Universal could not pay, leading to foreclosure and the removal of the Laemmles from the company they had founded.
Universal Pictures created a niche by beginning a series of horror films that extended into the 1940s including Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), and The Invisible Man (1933). Bela Lugosi starred in Dracula while Boris Karloff appeared in Bride of the Frankenstein (1935).
The long-awaited takeover of Universal Pictures by MCA happened in mid-1962 as part of the MCA-Decca Records merger. In 1963, MCA formed Universal City Studios merging motion pictures and television arms to offer slick commercial films and launch a studio tour subsidiary in 1964.