Born in San Francisco, California. Impresario who formed the Jesse Lasky Feature Play Company with brother-in-law Samuel Goldfish (later Goldwyn) and Cecil B. De Mille in 1913. The success of their production, SQUAW MAN (1914), put both the company and Hollywood on the map (it was the first feature shot in Southern California). Following a series of mergers, first with Adolph Zukor's company in 1916, the consolidated outfit was rechristened Paramount and went on to became a major Hollywood studio. From 1914 through 1930 Lasky "presented" almost 450 films. In 1932, Lasky was forced out of the organization he had helped to found and embarked on a moderately successful career as an independent producer with credits that included BERKELEY SQUARE, POWER AND THE GLORY and THE WORST WOMAN IN PARIS? (all 1933), AS HUSBANDS GO, COMING-OUT PARTY, GRAND CANARY, SPRINGTIME FOR HENRY and THE WHITE PARADE (all 1934), HELLDORADO, REDHEADS ON PARADE and THE GAY DECEPTION (all 1935), THE GAY DESPERADO and ONE RAINY AFTERNOON (both 1936), MUSIC FOR MADAME and HITTING A NEW HIGH (both 1937), SERGEANT YORK (1941), THE ADVENTURES OF MARK TWAIN (1944), RHAPSODY IN BLUE (1945), WITHOUT RESERVATIONS (1946), THE MIRACLE OF THE BELLS (1948) and THE GREAT CARUSO (1951, assoc. producer). One of the 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Lasky's son, Jesse Jr. (1908-1988), was an author and screenwriter.    Nominated for Production 1927-28: THE WAY OF ALL FLESH - Producer (w. Adolph Zukor)    Nominated for Best Picture 1934: THE WHITE PARADE - Producer    Nominated for Best Picture 1941: SERGEANT YORK - Producer (w. Hal B. Wallis) 3 nominations