On this day, October 20th, back in 1909, Rebecca Laemmle was born. You may or may not know her by this name, because she would shortly thereafter adopt the name Carla Laemmle in honor of her uncle Carl Laemmle, the founder of Universal Pictures. Carla is perhaps best known to fans of classic horror for having appeared in the 1925 silent film version of The Phantom of the Opera, starring Lon Chaney, in which she had a very small uncredited role as one of the ballet dancers. One of her other, more memorable roles, is in the classic 1931 film version of Dracula, directed by Tod Browning and starring Béla Lugosi. She plays a coach passenger who delivers the first lines of dialogue:
"Among the rugged peaks that frown down upon the Borgo Pass are found crumbling castles of a bygone age."
While this was essentially nothing more than a cameo appearance, it is nonetheless an unforgettable one and it has gone down in history as the first line of dialogue spoken in a supernatural talkie. Up until this point, most horror films featured a logical explanation for any seemingly supernatural occurrences. Many silent films utilized supernatural elements such as vampires before, but with the growth of conservative moral groups that pressured Hollywood and threatened censorship, supernatural story lines had become something of a taboo. Yet, thanks to Universal Pictures and Carla Laemmle, that is no longer the case!
On another interesting historical note, Carla is one of the few remaining silent film actors still alive and she has been an information goldmine for film scholars and historians who want to learn about the early years of Hollywood film studios. She also appeared as the host and narrator for the documentary The Road to Dracula, which was directed by David J. Skal, and can be found on all Universal Dracula DVDs.
Happy 102nd Birthday, Carla Laemmle!