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person_profile-Joseph M. Schenck

Joseph M. Schenck Died at age: 84

Actor | Producer

Fullname:

Joseph M. Schenck

Date of Birth:

Dec 25, 1876

Country of birth:

Russian Empire

Died:

Oct 22, 1961

Biography of

Joseph M. Schenck

    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Joseph Michael Schenck (/ˈskɛŋk/; December 25, 1876 – October 22, 1961) was a Russian-born American film studio executive.

    Schenck was born to a Jewish family in Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia. He and his family – including younger brother Nicholas – emigrated to New York City in July 1892 under the name Ossip Schenker. Recognizing the potential, in 1909 the Schenck brothers purchased Palisades Amusement Park and afterward became participants in the fledgling motion picture industry in partnership with Marcus Loew, operating a chain of movie theaters.

    In 1916, through his involvement in the film business, Joseph Schenck met and married Norma Talmadge, a top young star with Vitagraph Studios. He would be the first of her three husbands, but she was his only wife. Schenck supervised, controlled and nurtured her career in alliance with her mother. In 1917 the couple formed the Norma Talmadge Film Corporation, which became a lucrative enterprise. They divorced in 1934; Schenck then built a home in Palm Springs, California.

    After parting ways with his brother, Joseph Schenck moved to the West Coast where the future of the film industry seemed to lie. Within a few years Schenck was made the second president of the new United Artists.

    In 1933 he partnered with Darryl F. Zanuck to create Twentieth Century Pictures that merged with Fox Film Corporation in 1935. As chairman of the new 20th Century Fox, he was one of the most powerful and influential people in the film business. Caught in a payoff scheme to buy peace with the militant unions, he was convicted of income tax evasion and spent time in prison before being granted a presidential pardon. Following his release, he returned to 20th Century Fox where he became infatuated with the unknown Marilyn Monroe, and played a key role in launching her career.

    One of the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in 1952 he was given a special Academy Award in recognition of his contribution to the development of the film industry. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6757 Hollywood Blvd.

    Schenck retired in 1957 and shortly afterward suffered a stroke, from which he never fully recovered. He died in Los Angeles in 1961 at the age of 84, and was interred in Maimonides Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Photos of

Joseph M. Schenck

Photos ( 1 Photos

Filmography of

Joseph M. Schenck

Found 52 Movies in total

... 1936

... 1935

Born to Be Bad

Executive Producer

... 1934

... 1934

Hallelujah, I'm a Bum

Executive Producer

... 1933

Rain

Executive Producer

... 1932

... 1930

... 1930

... 1930

The Bad One

Producer

... 1930

... 1930

Be Yourself!

Executive Producer

... 1930

... 1929

... 1929

... 1929

... 1928

Tempest

Executive Producer

... 1928

... 1928

College

Presenter

... 1927

Camille

Producer

... 1927

The General

Producer

... 1926

Battling Butler

Executive Producer

... 1926

Go West

Presenter

... 1925

... 1925

... 1925

The Navigator

Executive Producer

... 1924

... 1924

... 1923

... 1923

Three Ages

Presenter

... 1923

... 1923

The Voice from the Minaret

Executive Producer

... 1923

... 1922

Smilin' Through

Executive Producer

... 1922

... 1921

... 1920

... 1920

... 1920

... 1920

... 1919

... 1919

... 1919

... 1919

... 1918

... 1918

... 1918

... 1918

... 1917

The Moth

Producer

... 1917

Poppy

Producer

... 1917

... 1917

Panthea

Producer

... 1917