The Untold Story of the birth of Universal Studios

LAKE FOREST, Calif. - April 2, 2019 - PRLog -- Traditional Hollywood history states that the early twentieth-century creation of Universal Studios was primarily attributable to German-born producer Carl Laemmle. But a new book, "The Cochrane Brothers and the Making of Universal Pictures," challenges this claim with the story of five American-Irish brothers and their vital contributions to the genesis of Universal.

"This book is the true 100-year secret on how Universal was created and catapulted by five American-Irish brothers," says Piper Cochrane, one of the book's three authors (along with Hollywood historian Marc Wanamaker and Kurt Wahlner). Cochrane is the granddaughter of Tom Cochrane, one of the Cochrane brothers from Ohio who preferred to guide early Universal, and IMP, Universal's predecessor, from behind the curtain, positioning Laemmle as the face of the operation.

"No one knew the history of how they [the Cochranes] took a failing clothing store marketer, Carl Laemmle, and built him into the face that launched modern Hollywood ... and yet their storytelling and marketing genius stood at the forefront of innovation ... transforming nickelodeon sideshows into the modern Hollywood studio system," says Sandy Climan, the former head of Universal's Worldwide Business Development department and producer of the Leonardo DiCaprio blockbuster, The Aviator.

Cochrane and her fellow authors dig past common industry orthodoxy allowing readers to redefine previously held perceptions about how the entertainment powerhouse came to fruition. The large coffee table-tome features 192 pages of rare stories, never-before-seen photos, in-depth captioning, and vibrant poster-style graphics. Its captivating storytelling showcases a story of brotherhood, persistence, and courage, carefully drawing back the cinematic curtain, revealing the real story of the creation and rapid rise of an iconic studio.

Recently, Cochrane and co-author Wanamaker addressed a large audience and signed copies of the book at Brentwood's iconic Diesel Bookstore (https://www.dieselbookstore.com/event/sunday-march-3rd-3-...), where the collectible edition secured a spot on the store's Bestseller List. Later, she welcomed a packed house in early March 2019 to a book-signing event at Los Angeles's landmark bookstore, Book Soup (https://www.booksoup.com/event/piper-cochrane-kurt-wahlne...).

"The Cochrane Brothers and the Making of Universal Pictures" promises to capture the attention of history and marketing buffs alike, allowing an alluring look at the inner workings of some of Hollywood's most sagacious minds from Hollywood's thrilling early decades.

To learn more about the Cochrane legacy and to purchase the book, please visit  https://www.thecochranebrothers.com/

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About Piper Cochrane: A labor of love, author Piper Cochrane wrote "The Cochrane Brothers and the Making of Universal Pictures" to document her family's rich forgotten cinematic legacy. A graduate of USC, Cochrane created the Organic Candy Factory where she proudly crafted the world's first organic-kosher gummy. She lives in Southern California with her daughter Ginger.