ABSTRACT
Samuel Goldwyn was born as Samuel Goldfisch on August 27, 1882, in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw, Poland. Goldwyn enjoyed great success as a salesman. Although he never entirely lost his Polish-Yiddish accent, and although he was neither well-read nor well educated. He became a sales manager in 1909 but was eager to improve himself further. At a time when most motion pictures were one- and two-reelers, lasting not much more than fifteen minutes, Goldwyn was one of a small group of people who believed that motion pictures had more to offer. Working as an independent Hollywood producer with his own company and studio, Goldwyn made films that were known for their high quality and good taste, despite his own impoverished upbringing and limited education. Goldwyn's artistic instincts, however, combined with a shrewd business sense, made him one of the most successful creators of one of the most distinctively American enterprises: the Hollywood motion picture.
