Carla Laemmle

Carla Laemmle, one of the last actresses of the silent film era, passed away last Friday. She was the niece of Carl Laemmle and, most famously, said the opening lines in the first talkie horror film. I had hoped to speak with her at some point during the writing of this book. In interviews she always spoke fondly of her Uncle Carl. It was his invitation that led to her family moving from Chicago to a house in Universal City. Over her lifetime she witnessed the evolution of Hollywood, from silent films to talkies to color. She was 104 years old. According to IMDB, over the last few years she has appeared in several movies. Here she is in Dracula (1931) saying the opening lines: “Among the rugged peaks that crown down upon the Borgo Pass are found crumbling castles of a bygone age.”