Irving Thalberg - Early Years

Early Years

Thalberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, to German Jewish immigrant parents, William and Henrietta (Haymann). Shortly after birth, he was diagnosed with "blue baby syndrome," caused by a congenital disease which limited the supply of oxygen to his heart. The prognosis received from their family doctor and specialists years later was that he would possibly live to age twenty, or at most age thirty.

During his high school years in Brooklyn, he began having attacks of chest pains, dizziness and fatigue which affected his ability to study, although up until that time he was considered a good student. When he was 17, he was stricken with rheumatic fever, and was confined to bed for a year. His mother, Henrietta, however, trying to prevent him falling too far behind other students, brought him homework from school, books, and tutors to teach him at home. She also hoped that the schoolwork and reading would distract him from the "tantalizing sounds" of children playing outside his window.

As a result, with little to entertain him, he began reading books as a main activity. He enjoyed reading, however, and began devouring popular novels, classics, plays, and biographies. His books, of necessity, replaced the streets of New York. He also took an interest in classical philosophy and of philosophers like William James, from whom he learned that "pragmatism" was more valuable in life than "abstraction."

When Thalberg returned to school, he lacked the stamina to enroll in college which he felt would have required constant late-night studying and cramming for exams. Instead, he took part time jobs as store clerk, and in the evenings taught himself typing, shorthand, and Spanish, while going to a night vocational school. When he turned 18, he placed an ad with the local newspaper hoping to find better work:

Situtation Wanted: Secretary, stenographer, Spanish, English, high school education, no experience; $15.