Palisadian Pens Universal Pictures History Book

Piper Cochrane Has Deep Family Ties to the Brothers Behind the Studio Powerhouse

By JENNIE INGRAM | Reporter

Highlands resident Piper Cochrane’s deep appreciation of family was the seed for her latest project, a self-published book based on her father’s desire to know more of his history.  

Inspired by her father, with Kurt Wahlner and Universal Film Historian Marc Wanamaker, what they uncover is a secret that’s been kept out of Hollywood for around 100 years.

Cochrane’s debut book, “The Cochrane Brothers and the Making of Universal Pictures,” co-written by Walner and Wanamaker, with a foreword by Sandy Climan, producer of “The Aviator” and executive at Creative Artists Agency during the Michael Ovitz years, unveils the story of the creation of Universal Pictures.

The Palisadian-Post met up with Cochrane and her daughter, Ginger Taurek, at edo little bites in Palisades Village to talk about her ground-breaking book.

In their book, Cochrane, Wahlner and Wanamaker share a written account, along with old photographs, historic movie photos and ephemera from Universal Pictures. It describes how that authentic history unfolded, giving the public the complete picture for the first time.

Their book recounts the real story of how five Cochrane brothers created Universal Pictures, one being her grandfather, Tom Cochrane, who passed away when her father was a young child.

“What Piper’s family did was to actually sit behind the scenes, packaging and promoting the first true Hollywood mogul, Carl Laemmle,” Climan explained. 

Climan said that the Cochranes invented the production and marketing systems that made Universal an industry leader and became the gold standard for Hollywood Studios.

“The Cochrane brothers understood how to create the mystery, the elegance and the creative energy of Hollywood, and yet they never stepped out of the background to take credit for it,” Climan said.

Cochrane said it was wonderful discovering how her family stayed united.

“It’s really amazing because they stuck together for many decades, and you don’t see that with every family,” she shared.

Cochrane added that she’s proud of her family for many things, and one is using their home as one of the stations for the Underground Railroad from Virginia to Canada, including a song taught to her family by one of the female slaves. She has an audiotape of her great-uncle, Robert Cochrane, who became president of Universal after Carl Laemmle, reciting the song perfectly in the 1970s.

Her passion project took six years; four years focused on research and two years to write it.

Cochrane’s book launch took place at The Draycott in Palisades Village with invites from Black Ink. The event featured a screening of one of her grandfather’s short films from 1911.

Climan likes the book so much, he sent over 200 copies out as holiday gifts.

“It was a great pleasure to bring an untold story of Hollywood to people who love Hollywood history,” Climan said.

Cochrane said the book has been received better than she could ever have hoped for, selling out at Diesel, A Bookstore. International recognition came when both Trinity College and Dublin Library requested copies. Her dream is to one day have it be made into a movie.

Her next book event will be held on Thursday, September 12, at 7 p.m. at the University of Southern California with a screening of a 10-minute Mary Pickford film, “Artful Kate,” which hasn’t been seen in 100 years.

“I don’t think you can fully appreciate the film business without understanding the story of the Cochranes,” Climan said, “and I don’t think you can fully appreciate new directions that the film business is going in without understanding Hollywood history.”