American actress Carla Laemmle, niece of Universal Pictures
founder Carl Laemmle, will be celebrating her 100th birthday with
her family and friends at the Screen Actors Guild in Los Angeles,
California on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. She will be presented
with Lifetime Achievement Awards by Tom Tangen among others.
Special invited guests include Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Ray Bradbury, Leonard Maltin, Sara Karloff, Bela Lugosi Jr.,
Scott MacQueen, Gloria Stuart, Ron Chaney, and many more.
Born in Chicago, 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.
In May 2009, Laemmle 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 offers an introduction by sci-fi
legend Ray Bradbury. Laemmle continued to star in small roles
until the late 1930s and recently became the subject of two works
titled after her immortal opening lines; Among the Rugged Peaks:
An Intimate Biography of Carla Laemmle by Rick Atkins, and the
film documentary, Among The Rugged Peaks, by actor, producer,
director, and biographical journalist Tom Tangen, a red carpet
favorite who has interviewed over 2,000 celebrities. The film,
edited by Emmy-winning Mary DeChambres, will debut in 2010 from
Elusive Entertainment.
The VIP private, invitation-only event will begin with a special
red carpet reception. Celebrations will include Laemmle’s
Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony, a ballet performance
organized by Famous Monsters of Filmland’s Robert Aragon,
who also presents the event, and a presentation by actor Tom
Tangen. Mr. Tangen is represented by Starpower Management
LLC.
Check out a sneak peek of Carla Laemmle, interviewed by Tom
Tangen here below, an interview like only Tom Tangen could
capture, and the charming, beautiful spirit and presence of the
living legend, Carla
Laemmle herself.