German-Born, American producer, writer and director Aaron "Ezra" Mann is most probably best known for co-producing "In The Region Of Ice." This film won an Academy Award (Oscar) for best short live action drama of 1977. With a birth name of Icek Jakob Fiszmann; Aaron's life has been enriched with a theatrical family heritage spanning well over a century! His aunt Dora Zlotnik was a popular Polish silent film screen actress. Her career started when she was cast as an extra in Charlie Chaplin one-reeler's. In 1921 another Polish silent film screen actress Pola Negri, starred in the same movie as Dora. It would be Pola's last non-talking role as she went on to "talking pictures," the newest technology of the time. Pola became a major star. Dora on the other hand, who was very much widely known from the silent movies, went another direction. She toured across Europe's most beloved opera houses and cabarets performing live her vaudevillian style of song and dance. Many compared Dora to the legendary Molly Picon. It was after such a show one evening at the famed Grand Theatre in Warsaw, Poland; that Dora was introduced to an up and coming handsome young Polish actor. His name---Paul Muni. Mr. Muni was en route to America; to star in his first Hollywood Motion Picture for Warner Bros. The two remained colleagues and close friends for years. Theatrical impresario Florenz Ziegfeld was an avid admirer of Doras. Mr. Ziegfeld created a starring musical for her on Broadway. Unfortunately, Hitler's army intercepted Dora, her husband and their two children moments before boarding an ocean liner heading to New York. Fortunately though, both Aaron's parents did survive the war! Aaron's mother Jean (Jadza) was born in the small town of Sosnoweicz near Warsaw. This area was also home to Louis B. Mayer, Harry & Jack Warner, Adolph Zukor, Myron Selznik and Schmuel Gelbfisz (later changed his name to Samuel Goldwyn). Aaron's father Samuel (Zanjwel) also born in Poland; in the larger city of Lodz also the birthplace of Roman Polanski. Warsaw became the home site of Film Polski, considered by many to be the world's finest film school. While Aaron was attending the American Film Institute in 1974, he was fortunate to have Slavko Vorkapitch as a professor. Prof. Vorkapitch formerly taught at Film Polski. It was Prof. Vorkapitch that introduced the famed Swedish director Ingemar Bergman to Aaron when he visited the campus that same year. In 1945, Aaron's father apprenticed as a projectionist/cutter for Central Filmen Producktions in Munich,Germany. Central specialized in company training, industrial, educational, military and institutional films. When owner Henrik Ulmerdied, Samuel was asked to head the small company. On a personal note, Aaron's former wife Carole remains a long-time executive at 20th Cent. Fox Studios. Aaron when not traveling on the Continent, resides south of Sunset Boulevard in Old Bel Air, California.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Aaron E. Mann
