Jack L. Warner

Biography

Jack Leonard "J.L." Warner was a Canadian-American film executive and president of Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. He co-headed production with his brother Sam to develop the industry's first talking picture, The Jazz Singer (1927), and later assumed exclusive control of the studio after purchasing his brothers' shares. Known for his shrewd instincts and tough-mindedness, Warner recruited top stars and promoted hard-edged social dramas that earned him respect despite his feared public image.