Milton Rackmil

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Milton R. Rackmil
Rackmil in 1983
Born1906
New York City
Died1992 (aged 85–86)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materB.A. New York University
Occupation(s)Record and film producer
Known forco-founder of Decca Records;
head of Universal Pictures. He was also Vice Chairman of MCA, Inc. from 1963 - 1972 after the company merged with Decca and Universal.
Spouses
Marie Stevelman
​
(divorced)​
​
(divorced)​
​
(divorced)​
  • Joan Crane
Children1
RelativesDavid Crane (stepson)

Milton R. Rackmil (1906-1992) was the co-founder of Decca Records and head of Universal Pictures and Vice-Charman of MCA Inc.

Early life and education

Rackmil was born to a Jewish family[1][2] on the Lower East Side of New York City and grew up in Brooklyn. He graduated from New York University with a degree in accounting.[3]

Career

After school in the 1920s, he worked for the Brunswick Radio Corporation in Manhattan and later moved to its plant in

McGuire Sisters, Teresa Brewer, Ethel Waters, and the Four Aces.[3] In 1952, the federal government filed an antitrust suit against Decca Records, its overseas sister company Decca Records Company of London, and a third unrelated company, alleging that they had illegally colluded to divide up the international markets; later that year, under a consent decree, Decca Records agreed to desist from said activities.[3]

Thereafter, Rackmil entered the film industry in 1951 - which many believed was on the decline due to the advent of television - with Decca Records becoming the largest shareholder in the

Pillow Talk (1959), Spartacus (1960), and That Touch of Mink (1962). In 1962, MCA Inc. purchased both Decca Records and Universal Pictures. Rackmil became vice-chairman of MCA's board and remained the head of both the film and record companies until his retirement in 1972.[3]

In 1962, Rackmil was awarded the "Motion Picture Pioneer of the Year" award by the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation.[4][5]

Personal life

Rackmil was married four times:

  • In 192?, he married Marie Stevelman. They had one daughter, Marlene Rackmil Salkin (married to Decca executive Martin P. Salkin). They divorced shortly after Marlene's eighteenth birthday.
  • In 1959, he married American actress and singer Vivian Blaine; they divorced in 1961.
  • In 1963, he married Gladys Lenore Blum, the ex-wife of songwriter Fred Stryker; they divorced in 1973 (Gladys would later marry theater owner and producer Robert Nederlander).[6]
  • In 1975, he married Joan Crane. He has a stepson, David Crane from Joan's first marriage to Philadelphia news anchor Gene Crane.[3][7]

Rackmil was active in the

Friars Club
and served as president of the Record Industry Association.

References

  1. ^
    The Los Angeles Times
    .
  2. ISBN 978-0812247305
    .
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Lambert, Bruce (April 5, 1992). "Milton R. Rackmil, 86, Is Dead: Led Decca Records and Universal". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "Pioneer of the Year". Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  5. ^ The Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures. Film Daily. 1963. p. 81.
  6. ^ New York Times: "Gladys Nederlander, 83, Show Producer, Is Dead" by BRUCE WEBER July 22, 2008
  7. ^ Milward Funeral: "Perel, Dr. John Harold (66)" November 28, 2012
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