Carla Laemmle

• See Wikipedia... Carla Laemmle, the niece of Carl Laemmle, founder of Universal Studios, celebrated her 100th birthday on October 20th in true cinematic style - with an intimate soiree of several hundred friends and fans at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. Needless to say, Carla was every inch the belle of the ball. Ready for her close-up, she worked the crowd with the stamina - and sprightly gait - of a enthusiastic young starlet. Carla was refreshingly genuine in her enjoyment of her big night. Wearing a classic Chinese silk coat and a snazzy shade of red lipstick, Carla enchanted fans and friends with her humor, wit and well-being. Her eyes sparkled joyfully as she tirelessly signed autographs and posed for photos with an endless line of guests. In spite of whatever trials and troubles she must have borne as a member of Hollywood royalty, tonight she seemed only to glow with gratitude for a life well-lived. If that's what 100 looks like - sign me up!

Carla's birthday tribute included film clips and stills from her private and public life, readings from birthday cards from several politicians and celebrities and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern California Motion Picture Council for her contribution to film history. Most touching was a special commendation from Dr. Udo Bayer, mayor of Laupheim, the German town where Carl Laemmle was born and which Carla has visited on more than one occasion. Apparently they've built a museum to honor their talented native son.

No doubt being related to Carl Laemmle had its perks. However, Carla didn't rely on family favors to further her ambitions. Her passion for dance led her to serious study. Her reward came when she made her dance debut in the 1925 version of "Phantom of the Opera" starring Lon Chaney. Nowadays she is especially treasured for this fact as she is the only surviving member of the cast! Carla's lifelong fame arrived via a "bit" part alongside Bela Lugosi in the 1931 version of "Dracula". As fate would have it, she spoke the very first line in the film. Actually, she spoke the very first line in a horror film "talkie". Carla's "fifteen minutes" subsequently earned her an endless round of appearances on the horror film festival circuit, where she is feted by friends and fans as a result of this happy accident. Carla never forgot the famous line she spoke, "Among the rugged peaks that frown down upon the Borgo Pass are found crumbling castles of a bygone age." Fittingly, her friend and biographer, Rick Atkins, used that line as the title of his recent book, "Among the Rugged Peaks" (Atkins' documentary bearing the same title is set to debut in 2010.

Early Life Carla was born in Chicago, but her family moved to California while she was still quite young. Her famous uncle secured a house for his brother Joseph and his family in Universal City (talk about "castles from a bygone age"!) Thus, Carla spent her formative years in a cozy cottage on the Universal lot from 1921 to 1937 (see photo below, courtesy of birthday exhibit). She recently penned a memoir of those years, "Growing Up with Monsters: My Times at Universal Studios in Rhymes". The centenary extravaganza was orchestrated by Famous Monsters of Filmland and by Carla's great-niece, Rosemary Hilb Weinglass. Rosemary is the de facto family historian, and her passion for the Laemmle family legacy is shared by her two daughters, actress Antonia Carlotta and Cassandra Shaw, who were also in attendance.