Park, Lester, 1887-1952
Dates
- Existence: 1887 - 1952
Biography
Lester Park (1887-1952) was an American film producer.
Daniel Lester Park was born April 27, 1887, in Millcreek, Utah to Allen Thomas Park and Jane Lunn. Lester married Clara Horne on June 11, 1908, in Salt Lake City. They had five children. Lester started work at the Salt Lake Press Brick Company and became a timekeeper. The owner and manager of the Salt Lake Press Brick Company, John P. Cahoon, offered to help Lester set up a business, and Lester chose to become an exhibitor and distributor of motion pictures, eventually opening a motion picture showhouse in Salt Lake City called Nickelodeon. The business failed and Lester moved his family to Denver where he worked for a film company, then soon after became self-employed as a motion picture producer and moved to New York. Lester collaborated with Orestus U. Bean to produce a film adaptation of his stage play, “Corianton,” a story from the Book of Mormon, in 1931. Lester relocated his family to Salt Lake City, then left to serve a mission in to England in 1933. He and his brother, Byron, worked on short educational films called "Parade of Progress." Lester died June 5, 1952, in San Mateo, California.
Citation:
found: Collection of Corianton film materials, circa 1930-2006 found: Brigham Young University, L. Tom Perry Special Collections worksheet, Feb. 23, 2007(Lester Park; producer of film Corianton) found: Ancestry.com, viewed Feb. 23, 2007(Lester Park; Daniel Lester Park; b. Apr. 27, 1887 in Mill Creek, Utah; d. June 5, 1952 in San Mateo, Calif.) found: The personal life history of Bernice Park Spencer, 2000 (Lester Park; film maker; lived in Utah, California, New Jersey, and New York City) Familysearch, January 26, 2023 (Preferred to use middle name, went by Lester Park; Born to Allen Thomas Park and Jane Lunn; married Clara Horne on June 11, 1908, in Salt Lake City; had five children; started work at the Salt Lake Press Brick Company and became a timekeeper; owner and manager, John P. Cahoon, offered to help Lester set up a business, and Lester chose to become an exhibitor and distributor of motion pictures, eventually opening a motion picture showhouse in Salt Lake City called Nickelodeon. The business failed and Lester moved his family to Denver where he worked for a film company, then soon after became self-employed as a motion picture producer and moved to New York. Collaborated with Orestus U. Bean to produce a film adaptation of his stage play, "Corianton," a story from the Book of Mormon, in 1931. Relocated his family to Salt Lake City, then left to serve a mission in to England in 1933; he and his brother, Byron, worked on short educational films called "Parade of Progress")Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Collection on Corianton
Collection includes a souvenir program from the film, "Corianton," produced by Lester Park, and scene stills, publicity photographs and clippings originally in three albums, dated 1930-1931. Also contains three reels of the original 16mm motion picture film, dated 1931, and two promotional sheets from Lester Park's project, "The Parade of Progress," dated approximately 1939-1952.
Andrew K. Steedman correspondence with the Corianton Corporation
Collection includes correspondence received by Andrew K. Steedman from the Corianton Corporation regarding the production of the film Corianton. Includes letters from Lester Park and Napoleon Hill about the film's progress, as well as stock certificates and other records.