Charles Luckman (1909 Kansas City–January 26, 1999 Los Angeles) was a businessman and an American architect, famous as the "Boy Wonder of American Business" when he was named president of the Pepsodent toothpaste company in 1939 at the age of thirty. Through acquisition, he later became president of Lever Brothers. 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Kansas City may refer to: Places: Kansas City Metropolitan Area Kansas City, Missouri, Missouri North Kansas City, Missouri, Missouri Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas Kansas City, Oregon Kansas City, Tennessee Or: Kansas City standard, in computing refers to a standard for storage of data on audio cassettes Deuce-to-seven low... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... This article is about the largest city in California. ... Architect at his drawing board, 1893 An architect is a person involved in the planning, designing and oversight of a buildings construction. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The British manufacturer Lever Brothers was founded in 1885 by William Hesketh Lever (later Lord Leverhulme) and his brother James. ...

During the war, Luckman served on the President's Committee on Civil Rights, and in 1947, President Truman asked him to help feed starving Europe. For this work, he was honored with Britain's Order of St. John, France's Legion of Honor, and Italy's Star of Solidarity. Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 7 million military deaths World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th century conflict that engulfed much of the globe and is accepted as the largest and deadliest... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... For the victim of Mt. ...

Luckman had always wanted to be an architect. As a nine-year-old paper boy outside the Muehlebach Hotel in Kansas City, he asked a customer about the pretty lights and was told they were called "chandeliers." Then he asked, "Who does...Who decides on things like that?" "An architect," came the reply. "He designs the hotel and says to put the chandeliers there." Luckman wrote in his memoir, "Right then and there I decided to become an architect."

He trained at the University of Illinois, but went into sales after graduating during the depths of the Great Depression. After almost twenty years of great success in business, he helped plan Lever Brothers' New York skyscraper, Lever House, one of the first sealed glass towers that began the curtain wall trend. The complex, designed by Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, was innovative in several other ways, as well, including a rare public plaza at ground level. The University of Illinois is the set of three public universities in Illinois. ... The British manufacturer Lever Brothers was founded in 1885 by William Hesketh Lever (later Lord Leverhulme) and his brother James. ... Lever House, by Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill on Park Avenue in New York City, is the quintessential and seminal glass box International Style skyscraper. ... Gordon Bunshaft (May 9, 1909–August 6, 1990) was a 20th century architect educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ... The architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP (SOM) was formed in Chicago in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by John Merrill. ...

Reminded of his architectural roots, Luckman resigned the presidency of Lever Brothers, moved to Los Angeles and began practicing architecture with fellow University of Illinois graduate William Pereira c1950. Their partnership led to works such as CBS Television City, but the two went separate ways in 1959. Luckman's firm went on to design the Prudential Center in Boston, the new Madison Square Garden in New York City, Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, and the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. This article is about the largest city in California. ... The University of Illinois is the set of three public universities in Illinois. ... William (Bill) Leonard Pereira, b. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... CBS Television City is a television studio located in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles at 7800 West Beverly Boulevard on Los Angeless West Side, at the corner of Beverly and Fairfax. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Boston is a town and small port c. ... The Empire State Building (right) and the Chrysler Building (left) are easily recognized symbols of New York City to the world. ... Honolulu as seen from the International Space Station Honolulu is the largest city and the capital of the U.S. state of Hawai‘i. ... Houston redirects here. ...

Luckman's autobiography is "Twice in a Lifetime: From Soap to Skyscrapers" (New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 1988) 0-393-02584-5.

"Learn to listen to your clients. It's a shocking thought, but your client was smart enough to make enough money to hire you and to afford to build a building. Listen. You just may possibly learn."

External links

• Harriet & Charles Luckman Fine Arts Complex
• ArchINFORM Charles Luckman & Associates
• Time Magazine June 10, 1946