Joe Pasternak

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Joseph Herman "Joe" Pasternak (September 19, 1901 – September 13, 1991) was an Hungarian-born American film producer in Hollywood. He was born to a Jewish family in Szilágysomlyó, Austria-Hungary (now Șimleu Silvaniei, Romania). His father was a town clerk and Pasternak was one of eleven children. In 1920 he emigrated to the US as a teenager and went to stay with an uncle in Philadelphia. He worked in a factory, punching holes in leather belts, and did a variety of other jobs. He also studied acting in New York. Pasternak became an assistant director at Paramount on The Phantom of the Opera (1925). Several years later he was directing at Universal. In 1928 Universal sent him as an associate producer to Germany. Upon return from Europe he produced a number of hits with new talent such as Deanna Durbin and Gloria Jean, reputedly saving Universal from Bankruptcy. Pasternak also had careers at MGM, Fox and Euterpe. He made mostly musicals. In 1...