- Together with Charles Laughton, Pommer discovered Maureen O'Hara, casting her in Alfred Hitchcock's Jamaica Inn (1939). Interviewed by Herbert G. Luft in 1959 for Films in Review, Maureen told him: "(Pommer) and his wife treated me like a daughter. In the two films I did for him he watched out for me in every way -- from my wardrobe and hair-do to the camera set-ups".
- Having resided continuously in the United States since 1939, Pommer and his wife became naturalized American citizens in 1944. He changed his name to Eric Pommer to reflect his new nationality.
- Father of Hans-Eckardt Hermann Pommer (born 26 February 1916) who changed his name to John E. Pommer in 1939.
- 1953 German Film Award for "Nachts auf den Strassen".
- 1989 Retrospective (International Filmfestival Berlin).
- 1955 Golden Globe Award Best Picture for "Kinder, Muetter, und ein General"
- When World War II broke out he was located in New York and had to remain in the USA. After some movies he became seriously ill in 1941, his contract with RKO wasn't renewed. In 1944 he got American nationality. Pommer got into financial difficulties and lived off the proceeds from the sale of personal valuables. They also helped two close friends, Fred Pinkus (a former business manager from Berlin) and his wife, silent movie star Eliza La Porta, who bought china ware and glasses and then hand-painted them to sell to the higher-class department stores. Pommer's wife helped with the painting, and Pommer alternated with Pinkus to work the drying oven in Pinkus' garage.
- In 1951 he founded the "Intercontinental Film GmbH" in Munich where he made some remarkable movies: (Nachts auf den Strassen (1951) Kinder, Mütter und ein General (1955). But the restrictions forced upon him led to his return to California. Physically badly shaky - a leg was amputated and therefore he was confined to a wheelchair - his career as a producer ended.
- Started his career in cinema in 1907 in the Berlin branch of Gaumont.
- Worked in a Berlin men's furnishings store, before joining Gaumont in Berlin (1907-1912). Became head of their Central European office in 1909. Moved to Eclair in 1913. Served in the German Army during World War I, but injuries suffered in action returned him to Berlin in 1916, where he was made responsible for training recruits and later worked for the Office for Film and Picture (Bufa) at the German War Ministry. Founded Decla (Deutsche Eclair) company in 1915. After 1919, Decla acquired Bioscope and was later merged into Ufa in 1923, with Pommer joining the board of directors and working as producer until he resigned in 1926. After working 2 years in Hollywood for Paramount and MGM, he returned to UFA in 1927 to introduce organizational and technical innovations from Hollywood, such as the use of shooting schedules and camera crane cars. Pommer was a pioneer of sound film in Germany and of multiple language versions as a means to cope with selling big productions to different countries. In 1933 he fled the Nazis and had lengthy exile in Paris before returning to Hollywood. Worked in London with Alexander Korda and co-founded Mayflower Pictures with Charles Laughton. From 1946 to 1949 oversaw the rebuilding of the German film industry, before moving back to Hollywood.
- Discovered 16-year old Maureen O'Hara, signing her to a 7-year personal contract, which he later sold to RKO.
- Known as a versatile, canny entrepreneur with astute business acumen, and the ability to keep a tight rein on temperamental stars and directors from Marlene Dietrich to Josef von Sternberg.
- In his biography "Ich hab für euch gespielt", Paul Hörbiger reports that he was in the big ballroom dance scene for The Congress Dances (1932). Producer Erich Pommer, who closely supervised all of his productions, was also on the set. Part of a burning carbon rod from an arc light fell among the actors. One dancer's costume burst into flame. Pommer was the first to react, attempting to tear off the burning fabric and beat out the flames. He suffered severe burns on both his hands but was unable to save the young dancer who died two days later. The highly publicized incident had a worldwide effect, causing arc lamp manufacturers to implement safety measures and fabric mills to add flame retardant to their synthetic fabrics.
- When Pare Lorentz resigned from the War Department in mid-1947, Pommer took over responsibility for supervising the completion of the documentary film Nuremberg (1948). At the time, Pommer was the highest-ranking film control officer of the Office of Military Government in Germany, responsible for the post-war reconstruction of the German film industry. Producer Stuart Schulberg regularly consulted with Pommer during the final months of the production, and the two men became close friends.
- In addition to his extensive interest in innovations of movie technology and content, Erich Pommer sponsored young filmmakers and always supported the professional training and further education of his employees. Therefore, in 1998, the Erich Pommer Institut was founded in Potsdam-Babelsberg as an educational center for media law, media management, and media research, for film, television, music, games, and mobile media. Each year, EPI organizes and hosts close to 40 seminars, workshops, conferences and panels in Germany, Canada, and the US. The institute also operates as a think tank, where creative solutions are developed scientifically for media management, media policy, and media education, with a focus on media convergence.
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