Nicholas Schenck
Nicholas Schenck | |
|---|---|
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| Born | November 14, 1880 |
| Died | March 4, 1969 (aged 88) Florida, U.S. |
| Nationality | Russian American |
| Occupation | Film studio executive |
| Relatives | Joseph M. Schenck (brother) Ruth Selwyn (sister-in-law) Fred M. Wilcox (brother-in-law) |
Nicholas M. Schenck (14 November 1880,[1] Rybinsk, Russia – 4 March 1969, Florida) was a Russian-American film studio executive and businessman.
Biography
Early life
One of seven children, Schenck was born to a
Upon his arrival in the United States, he and his older brother
They subsequently began working in a drugstore in the Bowery. Within two years they had saved up enough money to buy out the drugstore's owner and opened another store on Third Avenue at 110th Street[3] and began casting about for other business ventures.
Career
One summer day, the Schencks took a trolley ride to
In 1910, the Schencks' theaters were grouped into Loew's Consolidated Enterprises.[3] Loew, having noted the brothers' success, advanced them capital, permitting them to purchase Palisades Amusement Park in Bergen County, New Jersey, directly across the river from Manhattan, in 1910. It remained in operation until 1971, although the brothers sold their interest in 1934.[citation needed]
Schenck eventually became Loew's right-hand man, helping him manage what rapidly grew into a vast theater chain. In 1919, Schenck was named as vice president and general manager of
Joseph relocated to Hollywood, eventually becoming president of
Loew soon realized he needed someone in Hollywood to run his studio interests. Schenck seemed the obvious choice, but Loew concluded that he needed Schenck in New York to help run the theaters. He bought a studio headed by independent producer Louis B. Mayer in 1924, merging the Loew's Hollywood interests into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer with Mayer as studio chief. For reasons that remain unknown, Mayer and Schenck disliked each other intensely; Mayer reportedly called Schenck "Mr. Skunk" in private.[4] It was the start of a testy relationship that would last for almost four decades.
In 1927, Marcus Loew died suddenly, leaving control of Loew's to Schenck. In 1929,
Shortly afterward, in the summer of 1929, Fox was seriously injured in a car accident. By the time he had recovered, the
By 1932, Schenck was running an entertainment empire that consisted of a thriving theater circuit and MGM. The conglomerate, which Schenck continued to manage closely from New York City, employed 12,000 people. Schenck, by demanding a tight production schedule, created tension with Mayer and Irving Thalberg, who was production chief until his early death in 1936. Nonetheless, thanks to Schenck's stringent management, MGM was successful, becoming the only film company that continued to pay dividends during the Great Depression.[citation needed]
Under Schenck's leadership, the studio produced a great quantity of films, and the
After World War II
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Although Schenck's power and prestige were at their peak after World War II, times were changing, as television loomed on the horizon. Like many in the motion picture industry, however, Schenck adamantly refused to get involved with the new medium. In 1951, Louis B. Mayer had a falling out with Schenck over Dore Schary's position at MGM and Mayer was forced out of the studio.
By the middle of the decade, the price of MGM shares was sagging and stockholders were growing restive. On December 14, 1955,
Nicholas Schenck divided his last years between his estates at
Personal life
Nicholas Schenck's first marriage ended in divorce. In 1927, he married socialite and former vaudeville entertainer Pansy Wilcox (1898–1987), whose brother was director Fred M. Wilcox. Her sister was actress Ruth Selwyn (1905–1954), wife of Edgar Selwyn.
Nicholas and Pansy had three daughters: Marti, who acted under the name Marti Stevens, Joanne (born August 1, 1932) and Nicola (born December 13, 1933, in New York). Nicola married actor Helmut Dantine; they had three children. She acted under the name Niki Dantine.[citation needed]
Schenck owned and raced Thoroughbred horses. His filly Cobul, who raced under his wife's name, won the 1958 Astoria Stakes.
Death
Schenck died following a stroke in Florida in 1969.[3]
References
- ^ a b Naturalization papers. "Ancestry.com". Ancestry.com.
- ^ Jewish Standard Letters, jstandard.com; accessed October 10, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Nick Schenck, L.B. Mayer's Boss, Dies Three Days After Vogel". Variety. p. 4.
- ISBN 978-1-878685-04-9.
External links
- Nicholas M. Schenck at IMDb
- Mrs. Nicholas M. Schenck (Pansy) at IMDb