Earle W. Hammons, known professionally as E. W. Hammons (December 2, 1882 – July 31, 1962), was an American film producer, . He produced more than 220 films between 1921 and 1938.
Biography
Born in
Winona, Mississippi, in 1882, Hammons founded
Educational Pictures in 1915 with the intention of making educational films for schools. Hammons found that there was a larger market for short comedies in movie theaters, and shifted the firm's focus. Although Educational Pictures would continue to release occasional documentary shorts, its primary output was comedy.
Hammons became a highly respected film executive, and in 1938 he attempted to branch out into the lucrative feature-film market by joining forces with
Grand National Pictures. The merger failed, owing to insufficient capital to operate both companies, and Hammons declared bankruptcy in 1940.