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Irving Thalberg: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Irving Thalberg
Irving Thalberg was born with a heart condition so severe that doctors predicted he would die before turning thirty, yet he went on to become the most powerful man in Hollywood at the age of twenty-six. Born on the 30th of May 1899 in Brooklyn, New York, to German Jewish immigrant parents William and Henrietta Thalberg, he was diagnosed with blue baby syndrome shortly after birth. This congenital disease limited the oxygen supply to his heart, causing chest pains, dizziness, and fatigue that plagued him throughout his childhood. At seventeen, he contracted rheumatic fever and was confined to bed for a year, during which his mother brought him homework and tutors to keep him from falling behind. Instead of playing outside with other children, he devoured books, reading everything from popular novels to classical philosophy, including the works of William James, Upton Sinclair, and Bernard Shaw. This early isolation fostered a deep intellectual curiosity and a unique perspective on human nature that would later define his filmmaking. Despite his physical frailty, Thalberg possessed a charm and insight that captivated the film world, leading him from a secretary at Universal Studios to the head of production at MGM, all while defying the medical prognosis that had been delivered to his family.
The Studio Manager's Gambit
At the age of twenty, Irving Thalberg made a bold decision that would forever alter the balance of power in the movie industry by firing a famous director over a budget dispute. When he joined Universal Studios as a secretary, he quickly rose to become the studio manager, overseeing nearly thirty scenarios and nine ongoing film productions. His first major confrontation was with the renowned director Erich von Stroheim, who was shooting Foolish Wives and had gone far over budget. Thalberg, then only twenty years old, calmly told von Stroheim to stop shooting, explaining that the company could not afford to spend any more money. Von Stroheim, surrounded by his production team and still wearing his film costume as a Russian Imperial Guard, retorted that if Thalberg were not his superior, he would smash him in the face. Thalberg unflinchingly replied, "Don't let that stop you," and soon afterward removed the cameras from von Stroheim's studio, taking over editing and cutting the film from five-and-a-half hours to three hours. This act of defiance was considered an earthquake in movie circles, as it was the first time a director had been fired by a producer. Thalberg's ability to assert the primacy of the studio over the director forever changed the industry, proving that youth and modest education could not be mistaken for incompetence. His tenacity and insight impressed even the most seasoned executives, who had previously mistaken him for a junior employee.
Irving Thalberg was born on the 30th of May 1899 in Brooklyn, New York, to German Jewish immigrant parents William and Henrietta Thalberg. He was diagnosed with blue baby syndrome shortly after birth, a congenital disease that limited the oxygen supply to his heart.
How did Irving Thalberg die and at what age?
Irving Thalberg died on the 14th of September 1936, at the age of thirty-seven, due to the heart condition that had plagued him since birth. He passed away just weeks after returning from a Labor Day weekend vacation in Monterey, California.
What major decision did Irving Thalberg make at age twenty?
At the age of twenty, Irving Thalberg fired the famous director Erich von Stroheim over a budget dispute while working at Universal Studios. He removed the cameras from von Stroheim's studio and edited the film Foolish Wives from five-and-a-half hours to three hours, marking the first time a director had been fired by a producer.
What position did Irving Thalberg hold at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1925?
In 1925, at the age of twenty-four, Irving Thalberg became the vice president in charge of production at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. He partnered with Louis B. Mayer to create one of the most profitable studios in the world and introduced innovations such as story conferences and extensive reshooting of scenes.
Who wrote the fictionalized biography of Irving Thalberg titled The Last Tycoon?
American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald began writing The Last Tycoon in 1939 as a fictionalized biography of Irving Thalberg. Fitzgerald named the protagonist Monroe Stahr to represent Thalberg and believed that Thalberg represented the best of Hollywood.
In 1925, at the age of twenty-four, Irving Thalberg became the vice president in charge of production at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a position that would make him the most successful studio head in Hollywood history. He partnered with Louis B. Mayer, a man nearly twice his age and with a vastly different personality, to create one of the most profitable studios in the world. Thalberg's approach was revolutionary: he combined stars, Broadway hits, and high production standards to create films that were both artistically ambitious and commercially successful. Under his management, MGM released over 40% more films yearly than Warner Brothers and more than double Paramount's releases. He introduced innovations such as story conferences, sneak previews, and extensive reshooting of scenes to improve the film. Thalberg's films carved out an international market, projecting a seductive image of American life brimming with vitality and rooted in democracy and personal freedom. He synthesized and merged the world of stage drama and literary classics with Hollywood films, creating a distinctive "look" that made MGM movies luxurious, glossy, and technically flawless. His ability to combine quality with commercial success was so remarkable that even his colleagues, who knew he was doomed to die before the age of thirty, continued to rely on his genius. Thalberg's influence extended beyond the screen, as he coauthored the Production Code, the set of moral guidelines that all film studios agreed to follow, and introduced horror films to audiences.
The Star-Maker's Secret
Despite his immense success, Irving Thalberg's life was cut short by the very heart condition that had plagued him since birth. He died on the 14th of September 1936, at the age of thirty-seven, just weeks after returning from a Labor Day weekend vacation in Monterey, California. His death was a shock to the entire film industry, with hundreds of people weeping and work stopping across the studio. Thalberg's funeral attracted thousands of spectators, including Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, the Marx Brothers, Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, and Howard Hughes. The MGM studio closed for the day, and other studios observed five minutes of silence. President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote, "The world of art is poorer with the passing of Irving Thalberg. His high ideals, insight and imagination went into the production of his masterpieces." Thalberg's legacy was so profound that the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, given out periodically by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 1937, was named in his honor. His final film, The Good Earth, was dedicated to him, and his name never appeared on the screen while he was alive, as he refused to take credit for his work. Thalberg's death marked the end of an era, but his influence on the film industry continued to be felt for generations.
Irving Thalberg's impact on culture and cinema
The Tragic Genius
extended far beyond his lifetime, inspiring writers, filmmakers, and artists to create works that reflected his genius and tragedy. In 1939, American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald began writing The Last Tycoon, a fictionalized biography of Thalberg, naming the protagonist Monroe Stahr to represent him. Fitzgerald believed that Thalberg, with his taste and courage, represented the best of Hollywood, and he saw Thalberg as a model for what could be done in the movies. Although Fitzgerald died before the novel was completed, the book has since been adapted into films and television series, with Monroe Stahr played by Robert De Niro and Matt Bomer. Thalberg was also portrayed in the movie Man of a Thousand Faces by Robert Evans, and parodied as Irving C. Saltzberg Jnr. in Monty Python's Flying Circus. His life and work continue to be celebrated in documentaries, books, and films, including the 2020 David Fincher film Mank and the 2022 Netflix series Titans: The Rise of Hollywood. Thalberg's legacy is incalculable, as he managed to keep American movies supreme throughout the world for a generation, setting the pace and others following. His way combined style, glamour, and profit, making him a revolutionary in a gray flannel suit. The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, continues
The Cultural Legacy
to honor producers for consistently high production achievements, ensuring that Thalberg's influence will never be forgotten.