Associated Producers Inc
| Robert L. Lippert | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 31, 1909 Alameda, California, United States |
| Died | November 10, 1976 (aged 67) United States |
| Occupation | Film producer, cinema owner |
Robert L. Lippert (March 31, 1909 – November 10, 1976) was an America film producer and cinema owner who eventually owned a chain of 118 theatres.
He helped finance over 300 films, including the directorial debuts of Sam Fuller, James Clavell and Burt Kennedy. His films include I Shot Jesse James (1948) and The Fly (1958).
In 1962 Lippert said, "the word around Hollywood is: Lippert makes a lot of cheap pictures but he's never made a stinker."
Born in Alameda, California, and adopted by the owner of a hardware store, Robert Lippert became fascinated by the cinema at an early age. As a youngster he worked a variety of jobs in local theaters, including projectionist and assistant manager. As a manager of a cinema during the Depression Lippert encouraged regular attendance with promotions such as "Dish Night" and "Book Night".
Lippert went from cinema manager to owning a chain of cinemas in California in 1942, during the peak years of theatre attendance. Lippert's theatres in Los Angeles often screened older films for a continuous 24 hours with an admission price of 25 cents. Not only did his theatres attract shift workers and late-night revellers, but servicemen on leave who could not find cheap accommodation would sleep in the cinema.
In May 1948 he merged his cinema chain with George Mann's. He also owned a number of drive ins.
Lippert died on November 16, 1976, and his cremated remains were interred at the Woodlawn Memorial Park in Colma, California.
Dissatisfied with what he believed to be exorbitant rental fees charged by major studios, Lippert formed Screen Guild Productions in 1945, its first release being a Bob Steele western called Wildfire, made in Cinecolor.
"Every theatre owner thinks he can make pictures better than the ones they sent him," he later said. "So back in 1943 I tried it."
In 1946 Screen Guild signed agreements with Affiliated Productions to make distribute three films, Golden Gate Productions to make 12, and Jack Schwartz.
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