Academy Founders 16

N.B. The member numbers follow The Internet Movie Database's list order announcing the Academy in January 1927. 

16. Jesse Louis Lasky (1880-1958) of the Producers Branch with Otto Kruger (1885-1974) during the production of SPRINGTIME FOR HENRY (1934). 

Jesse L. Lasky was perhaps the first Hollywood mogul, and while he did not retain control of the company he had founded, Lasky was one of the giants of early Hollywood. As studio chief at Paramount (as Famous Players-Lasky became), he has 477 credits at IMDb, with 140 credits as a producer. Among the films with which he was associated: THE SQUAW MAN (1914), WHY CHANGE YOUR WIFE? (1920), BLOOD AND SAND (1922), PETER PAN (1924), IT (1927), THE COCOANUTS (1929), and BERKELEY SQUARE (1933).

See an earlier picture of Lasky here.

Academy Founders 8c

N.B. The member numbers follow The Internet Movie Database's list order announcing the Academy in January 1927.

8. Cecil B. DeMille (Cecil Blount de Mille, 1881-1959) of the Directors Branch.

Like Mary Pickford or Jesse L. Lasky, DeMille was a model of his kind: in his case, the bravura "Hollywood director." His career lasted long enough that he remade some of his films: THE SQUAW MAN of 1914 was remade twice, in 1918 and 1931; a wide-screen remake of the silent TEN COMMANDMENTS (1923) was the final film in DeMille's (directorial) career, released in 1956. He moved back and forth between romantic comedies and time-spanning (often Biblical) epics: the scenery-chewing GOLDEN BED (1925) was followed by THE VOLGA BOATMAN (1926) and THE KING OF KINGS (1927). 

Perhaps he was not the first to say it, but the phrase "The public is always right" is credited to him. Oddly enough, considering his film pedigree, DeMille was nominated for an Academy Award just twice; only one of his films won Best Picture: THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952). In honor of his service to the Academy, and the industry, he won an honorary Oscar in 1950 and the 1953 Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. 

Academy Founders 8a

N.B. The member numbers follow The Internet Movie Database's list order announcing the Academy in January 1927.

Some of the early actors and staff at the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company in 1913. The studio -- later Famous Players-Lasky and then Paramount Pictures -- was developing THE SQUAW MAN (1914): the film's two directors -- including Cecil B. DeMille (#8 on IMDb's list of A.M.P.A.S. founders), standing at right -- may be seen in this photo. 

Seated, left to right: Lolita Robertson (1888-1959), Jesse L. Lasky (1880-1958, #16 on the list), and Bessie Barriscale (1884-1965).

I will cover the rest of the group in another post.