E. W. Hammons | |
|---|---|
 Hammons in 1920 | |
| Born | December 2, 1882 Winona, Mississippi, USA |
| Died | July 31, 1962 |
| Other names | Earle W. Hammons |
| Years active | 1921–1938 |
Earle W. Hammons, known professionally as E. W. Hammons (December 2, 1882 – July 31, 1962), was an American film producer, . He produced more than 220 films between 1921 and 1938.
Born in Winona, Mississippi, in 1882, Hammons founded Educational Pictures in 1915 with the intention of making educational films for schools. Hammons found that there was a larger market for short comedies in movie theaters, and shifted the firm's focus. Although Educational Pictures would continue to release occasional documentary shorts, its primary output was comedy.
Hammons became a highly respected film executive, and in 1938 he attempted to branch out into the lucrative feature-film market by joining forces with Grand National Pictures. The merger failed, owing to insufficient capital to operate both companies, and Hammons declared bankruptcy in 1940.
He remained a consultant to the industry, associated with documentary shorts for Paramount Pictures during World War II and with ABC-TV in the 1950s.[1] In 1962 he died of a heart ailment, in New Rochelle, New York.
For further discussion of Hammons and his studio, see Educational Pictures and Buster Keaton.
