This Day in Manka Bros History – December 11, 1958:
Following his death on November 27, 1958, Simeon Olsa Mankewitz is buried next to the shack in Bulgaria where he was born. He is the only Manka brother buried in their homeland.
This Day in Manka Bros History – December 6, 1935:
Khan Manka (Sr.) dresses as ‘Manka Claus’ and drops presents from a plane to kids in the Burbank area. Several people were injured from the falling boxes but no one was killed!
This Day in Manka Bros History – November 30, 1910:
‘Khan Manka (Sr.) Beating His Brother Simeon With A Juggling Club’ opens and becomes the top grossing film in cinema history until ‘Birth Of A Nation’ in 1915.
This Day in Manka Bros History – November 28, 1971:
The Paris backlot set on the Manka Bros. lot burns to the ground (including the 2/3 size replica of the Eiffel Tower). It is eventually replaced by the Harry Manka Accounts Payable building.
This Day in Manka Bros History – November 20, 1954:
‘Edward R. Murrow’s Puppet Show For The Kids Of America’ – a Saturday morning news show to enlighten children about current global events – debuts on MBS.
This Date In Manka Bros. History – November 13, 1962:
Studio chief Harry Manka’s pet tiger, Mr. Chuckles, escapes from his backyard jungle compound and wanders the streets of Beverly Hills for several hours, attacking some people, before being returned safely.
This Date In Manka Bros. History – November 10, 1960:
When the Mojave Desert proved too hot to film the Egyptian period epic ‘Ramesses I,’ Harry Manka ordered the clearing of a large area near Sequoia National Park and had tons of sand trucked up from Malibu so that production could continue.
In World War 1, to entertain the troops, Manka Bros. provided movie projectors, movies and pianos to some front line trenches in France (though many complained the light and piano noise gave away their positions to the Germans).
