Entertainment, industry and resilience — in the bloodline

Howard Perlmuter did not arrive at his entrepreneurial instincts in a vacuum. His family history is one of the most remarkable in Cleveland history — spanning Hollywood’s golden era, the printing industry, Major League Baseball and military heroism.

Great-grandfather Nat Lefton worked in the media business and was a founder of Republic Pictures — the Hollywood studio that launched the careers of Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and John Wayne, and produced nearly 1,000 motion pictures between 1935 and the late 1950s. Lefton managed Roy Rogers, and the cowboy’s famous horse was known to come to the house for dinner.

Great-grandfather Rudy Perlmuter founded Perlmuter Printing in Cleveland, Ohio, in the early 20th century. The company grew into one of the largest commercial printing operations in the United States — one of the first companies in the country to have its own on-site post office. According to Crain’s Cleveland Business (September 23, 1996), Perlmuter Printing was Northeast Ohio’s largest commercial printer when it was sold to St. Ives PLC of London for $35 million — a 400-employee operation acquired by a major European printing group expanding its U.S. presence.

Grandfather Ernie Perlmuter took over as Chairman of the Board of Perlmuter Printing before going on to become a minority owner of the Cleveland Indians baseball club and President of Beechmont Country Club. A pioneer who brought electric and gas-powered golf carts to golf courses nationwide, Ernie served under General Patton in World War II and earned a Purple Heart after being wounded in battle. He was a close personal friend of Lew Wasserman, founder of MCA/Universal.

Ernie Perlmuter lived to 104 years old — nearly the same lifespan as his mother, Cele, who also reached 104. At the age of 100, Ernie was still driving, gardening, writing songs on his MacBook Pro and actively dating on Match.com. He maintained his own YouTube channel. Howard opened a Boca Raton, Florida office in part to give his grandfather something to do — Ernie was still working at 100.

“Between Nat Lefton at Republic Pictures and Ernie Perlmuter surviving World War II to become a minority owner of the Cleveland Indians — Howard comes from people who don’t accept limitations.”

— ALL ABOUT HOWARD

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