Harry Morris Warner
1881 - 1958
Warner was born Hirsch Moses "Wonsal" or "Wonskolaser" in Krasnosielc, Poland just outside Warsaw. He was born on December 12th, 1881. At the
age of 8 Warner moved with his family to Baltimore, Maryland. His father had moved a few years before the family to establish himself in the shoe repair trade.
Life was hard for the family when Warner's father was not able to make a living. The family moved around several times, going to London, Ontario, and
Youngstown, Ohio. The members of the family also began anglicizing their names. Warner's father had changed the family name to Warner when he first arrived in
the United States. Hirsch became Harry and Moses turned into Morris. This may have also been due to the fact, in the early 20th century there was a large anti
semitic movement, particularly in the banking industry.
In 1903, after trying many different trades, Warner and his brothers began buying movie theaters in the Pennsylvania area. They continued to expand their business
until 1910 when they sold the business due to pressures from outside companies, specifically Thomas Edison's Motion Picture Patents Company, which charged
large distribution fees for their films.
After selling their theaters, the Warner brothers joined forces with an ind‐