36 Facts About Charles Luckman

Charles Luckman was an American businessman, property developer, and architect known for designing landmark buildings in the United States such as the Theme Building, Prudential Tower, Madison Square Garden, and The Forum.

Charles Luckman was named the "Boy Wonder of American Business" by Time magazine when president of the Pepsodent toothpaste company in 1939.

Charles Luckman retired from the firm, although he would still be present.

Charles Luckman was appointed on the President's Committee on Civil Rights during the Truman administration, as well as being the chairman of the Citizens Food Committee and the Freedom Train; both of which helped out Europe.

Charles Luckman died on January 26,1999, at his home in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 89.

Charles Luckman was born on May 16,1909, in Kansas City, Missouri, to an immigrant family, his father came from Germany and his mother from Yugoslavia.

Charles Luckman recalls that, after the second or third week he was working at the newsstand, he asked a woman passing by about what the "pretty lights" hanging down the ceiling were called.

Charles Luckman told the young Luckman that they were called chandeliers.

Charles Luckman then asked a second question to the same woman on who decided to place them.

In 1920, Charles Luckman found work as a stock boy in the men's furnishings department at a Jones Store Company.

Charles Luckman later went on as a junior salesman for about a year before moving to various departments over time.

Charles Luckman attended Kansas City's Northeast High School for all four years.

Charles Luckman was awarded a full scholarship to the University of Missouri, but he declined it because the school did not offer a degree in architecture.

Charles Luckman achieved impressive gains in the sales of his company's soap on Chicago's South Side, which earned him a reputation as a superb salesman and set the stage for a remarkable rise in the business world.

In 1935, Charles Luckman became sales manager for Pepsodent, where his marketing techniques were credited with quadrupling profits.

Charles Luckman continued as president of Pepsodent and became a vice-president of Lever Brothers.

In 1946, Charles Luckman became president of Lever Brothers, making him one of the youngest head executives in the country.

Charles Luckman partnered with William Pereira, a fellow architecture student from the University of Illinois, at his firm in Los Angeles.

Pereira and Charles Luckman were hired to design CBS's television studio and office in Los Angeles.

In 1953, Pereira and Charles Luckman were commissioned by UC Regents to create a master plan and campus expansion at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Charles Luckman chose Pereira and Luckman due to the fact that both architects were designing Marineland of the Pacific, which was to be the world's largest aquatic park when it opened in 1954.

Charles Luckman, who had known Disney for years, recounts hearing Disney describe his concept of Disneyland during lunch in April 1952.

Charles Luckman came back with a preliminary design for a seven-acre Disneyland but Disney rejected the concept for being "too small".

In 1958, Pereira and Charles Luckman designed the Union Oil Center for the Union Oil Company of California.

The Theme Building was a concept that Charles Luckman had in mind since 1953.

Charles Luckman's firm went on to design the Prudential Tower in Boston, The Forum in Inglewood, Aon Center in Los Angeles, and the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston.

Furthermore, Charles Luckman is responsible for the design of Madison Square Garden in New York, and the Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.

That same year, Charles Luckman sold his firm to the Ogden Corporation, a real estate developer based in Southern California, and became president of its subsidiary, Ogden Development.

Charles Luckman would retire from the firm in 1977, although he remained an active presence there.

The Charles Luckman Associates was eventually reorganized as the Luckman Partnership, with James Luckman holding the position of president until his retirement in 1991.

In 1946, President Harry Truman appointed Charles Luckman to serve on the President's Committee on Civil Rights, along with 14 other members from business, labor, education, and religious and service organizations.

Charles Luckman was an active supporter of public education, which served him on the California State Board of Trustees from 1960 through 1982 and was twice chair of the board.

Apart from his educational service, Charles Luckman served as president of the Los Angeles Ballet, and as chair of the board of UCLA's Brain Research Institute.

Charles Luckman met his wife, Harriet Charles Luckman, during his second years at the University of Illinois.

Charles Luckman met Harriet when a friend of his suggested going on a blind date with her.

On January 26,1999, Charles Luckman passed away at his Los Angeles home at the age of 89.