12 Facts About Sol Lesser

Sol Lesser received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 and was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1961.

In 1913, while living in San Francisco, Sol Lesser learned that the authorities were about to clean out the Barbary Coast district, a raucous area of gambling houses, saloons and brothels.

Sol Lesser grabbed a camera and a friend, future Hollywood cameraman Hal Mohr, and roamed the area, especially the parts that were best-known before the area was shut down.

Sol Lesser signed Jackie Coogan to a movie contract in 1922, establishing both as major Hollywood names.

Sol Lesser made a successful transition to sound films, with his own Principal Pictures company; he would either distribute his productions himself under the Principal name, or arrange for a major studio to release them under their own trademarks.

Sol Lesser was very successful as an independent producer, later releasing through United Artists.

In 1933 Sol Lesser succeeded in buying screen rights to Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan character.

MGM objected to Sol Lesser competing with its own Tarzan series, and Sol Lesser agreed to sell the rights back to MGM.

When MGM relinquished the rights in 1942, Sol Lesser regained the Tarzan property.

Sol Lesser died in 1980, and was buried at Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City, California.

Sol Lesser was the recipient of The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1960.

Sol Lesser has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.