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Title details for Moguls by Michael Benson - Available

Moguls

The Lives and Times of Hollywood Film Pioneers Nicholas and Joseph Schenck

by Michael Benson
Craig Singer
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The incredible true story of the most powerful brothers in Hollywood history—an wildly entertaining saga studded with glamorous stars, scandals, mobsters, murders, and one legendary blond bombshell. . . .
They were the Godfathers of the Movies. Groundbreaking pioneers of the Hollywood Dream Factory, Joseph and Nicholas Schenck may not have been household names like the Warner brothers or Louis B. Mayer, but they were infinitely more powerful, influential—and ruthless. A pair of Russian immigrants with giant ambitions, the Schencks turned their small nickelodeon business in New York's Bowery into a partnership with Loew's movie theaters and a controlling interest in three major studios: MGM, 20th Century Fox, and United Artists. They painted the silver screen silver, laid the foundations for the all-powerful studio system, and ruled a global movie empire from their Gatsby-sized mansions on the East and West coasts. The Schencks had become moguls.
Their story is the stuff of legends—and their scandals are among the greatest stories Hollywood never told. This riveting, behind-the-scenes account reveals the suprising truth about:
* The union-busting mob deal that landed Joe Schenck in federal prison for four years—on tax evasion charges including deductions for a menage a trois.
* The cutthroat and merciless political maneuvering that defined the Hollywood studio heads.
* The lurid murder charges against silent film star "Fatty" Arbuckle—whose legal defense was paid for by Joe Schenck.
* Joe's secret infatuation with Marilyn Monroe, even though Marilyn's mother named her Norma after Joe's wife!
* The brothers' ingenious creation of the Academy of Motion Pictures and the Oscars—and indomitable control over the entire film industry.
From the earliest days of silent films and the swinging era of the Roaring Twenties, through the Golden Age of the studio system and the patriotic call of WWII, to the Red Scare paranoia of the McCarthy years, the history of the Schenck brothers is the story of Hollywood itself—and the endurng power of the American Dream. Moguls is a must-read for film fans, history buffs, and anyone who loves the movies.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 24, 2024

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780806543109

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780806543109
      • File size: 1884 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      August 1, 2024

      Crime writer Benson (Gangsters vs. Nazis) and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Singer profile the Russian Jewish immigrant brothers Joseph Schenck (1876-1961) and Nicholas Schenck (1880-1969), who were executives in the studio system at MGM, 20th Century Fox, and United Artists. They worked in entertainment for much of their lives, beginning as nickelodeon and vaudeville entrepreneurs in New York; later, Nicholas remained on the East Coast to manage the Loew's theater enterprise (which had acquired MGM) while Joseph worked in California as a producer. Even with their congruent careers, the brothers' personalities and personal lives diverged. Joseph wed Norma Talmadge (becoming Buster Keaton's brother-in-law), paid Fatty Arbuckle's legal fees during a scandal, romped through successive romances, helped launch the career of Marilyn Monroe, and was convicted of tax evasion. Meanwhile, his lower-profile brother raised a family. The book also shows how the Schencks helped establish the Academy Awards, fought Nazi designs on and mob extortion of the studios, waffled during the Red Scare, and remained skeptical of television despite their innovative early careers. VERDICT This illuminating book sheds light on brothers at least as influential as the Warners, but lesser known in cinematic popular culture.--Frederick J. Augustyn Jr.

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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