:03:03
Lloyd said "If anyone asks,
you're my assistant."
:03:06
"Lie. Say you're the nephew
of Sigmund Lubin
:03:08
of the Lubin Studio in Philadelphia."
:03:11
Lubin watched de Mille direct
:03:13
and observed Lloyd create his
Lonesome Luke character for Hal Roach.
:03:17
Graduating from Carnegie Tech,
Lubin produced four plays in New York
:03:20
and became an actor in the theatre.
:03:22
He had worked for B Iden Payne
in a two-character drama, Jealousy,
:03:26
and Payne called Arthur in to help
on a new show, The Red Poppy.
:03:29
It seemed they engaged their lead
from Budapest,
:03:32
and when Mr Bela Lugosi arrived, they
found out he couldn't speak any English.
:03:36
Lubin was assigned to teach Bela English
between rehearsals and at night.
:03:40
I asked Mr Lubin
if he taught Lugosi phonetically,
:03:43
and Arthur just smiled silently.
:03:45
I then asked him "Did you teach him
with great difficulty?"
:03:48
and Lubin laughed affirmatively.
:03:50
Bela was grateful,
and they became friends,
:03:52
and Lubin was invited to the opening
of Dracula at the Fulton Theater in 1927.
:03:57
Lubin returned to California
in the late 1920s
:04:00
and worked as an actor at Universal,
:04:02
including His People,
a melodrama of Jewish life.
:04:05
He then worked as assistant
to William LeBaron at Paramount.
:04:09
Lubin told me "They'd go on location, I'd
go out to the location with the company."
:04:13
"LeBaron was so wealthy,
he didn't give a shit,
:04:15
and I would report in every hour
the progress that was being made."
:04:18
At Paramount, he became close
with stars like Mae West.
:04:21
He directed at Monogram
and Republic in the early '30s,
:04:24
and was the first director signed by
Charles Rogers for Universal in 1936.
:04:28
A caution to Hollywood hopefuls:
as you climb the ladder,
:04:31
remember to always be nice
to assistants, their wives,
:04:34
their husbands,
boyfriends and girlfriends.
:04:37
Rogers' assistant's wife
took a liking to Lubin -
:04:40
not physically or romantically -
:04:42
and her recommendation
got him his contract.
:04:45
Lubin's greatest legacy to the business
was his discovery of Clint Eastwood,
:04:49
who he placed under contract and
featured in 1957's Escapade in Japan.
:04:54
We're five minutes into the picture
and there has been no dialogue.
:04:58
But visually, Lubin has set up
the main characters and their dynamics.