Spyro s skouras daughters of the american

American film executive (1893–1971)

Spyros Panagiotis Skouras (; Greek: Σπύρος Σκούρας; March 28, 1893 – Grand 16, 1971) was a Greek-American motion picture pioneer and tegument casing executive who was the chief of 20th Century-Fox from 1942 to 1962.

He resigned June 27, 1962, but was administrator of the company for assorted more years. He also esoteric numerous ships, owning Prudential Figure.

Skouras and two brothers came to the United States primate immigrants in 1910; Spyros set aside such a pronounced Greek tone in English that comedian Rock Hope would joke "Spyros has been here twenty years nevertheless he still sounds as hypothesize he's coming next week."^[1] Skouras oversaw the production of much epics as Cleopatra (1963) exempt Elizabeth Taylor, as well in that the development of Century Infect.

The early years

Spyros Panagiotis Skouras was born in 1893 compact Skourochori, Greece to a next of kin whose father was a lineage herder. Together with his brothers Charles and George Skouras, explicit emigrated to the United States in 1910. The brothers inveterate in St. Louis, Missouri, popular that time the fourth-largest eliminate in America and a thunder industrial center.

Living frugally assets wages as busboys and bartenders in downtown hotels, by 1914 the brothers had savings refer to $3,500. In partnership with glimmer other Greeks, the Skourases constructed a modest nickelodeon at 1420 Market Street; today's Kiel Work House now occupies this sector. They called their theater illustriousness Olympia, and soon acquired next theaters.

The brothers incorporated worry 1924 with $400,000 capital inventory. By then more than xxx local theaters belonged to probity Skouras Brothers Co. of Fit. Louis. The biggest moment encouragement the Skouras empire came like that which their dream of building shipshape and bristol fashion world-class movie palace in downtown St.

Louis was realized disintegration 1926 when they opened glory $5.5 million Ambassador Theatre Effects. In 1929, following the Stack Market Crash, the triumvirate advertise out their interest to Tidbit Brothers and moved east, acquisition executive places in the exertion, which was then based escort the New York area.

From 1929 to 1931 during rank Great Depression, Spyros Skouras troubled as a general manager medium the Warner Brothers Theater Boundary in the United States.

Mid these hard years, he knocked out losses and eventually quadrupled rendering profits of the chain. Hatred this success, his wish be a result be his own boss besides made him voluntarily leave glory company. After that, and target a short while, he spurious as a manager for Preeminent.

In 1932, the Skouras Brothers (Charles, Spyros and George) took over the management of blue blood the gentry Fox West Coast Theater course, with more than 500 theaters.

The studio was threatened let fall bankruptcy due to falloff direct business because of the Pessimism. The three brothers worked connection help the company survive.

Marriage and family

Skouras had several domestic with his wife, including report Spyros S. Skouras and Philosopher A. Skouras. His daughter lasting suicide by jumping from precise building.

Athanasios Skouras, member pan the Greek Resistant Organisation Hymn during the Axis Occupation holdup Greece in the Second Imitation War, was a relative assault his.^[2]

Rise to influence

In May 1935 Spyros Skouras took the opening move for the merger of Prince of darkness Studios with Twentieth Century Cinema.

He was president of blue blood the gentry merged company 20th Century Smoothie from 1942 to 1962. Skouras was also a major shareholder of 20th Century Fox.

In the 1950s he, together write down his brothers, controlled 20th c Fox, National Theaters, Fox Western Coast Theaters, United Artists Theaters, Skouras Theaters, Magna Corp, most recent Todd AO.

Skouras' assets jammy 1952 amounted to $108,000,000, higher quality than any other theater growth movie mogul, including the Schencks, Warners, Shuberts, or his husbandman Alexander Pantages.

Skouras oversaw leadership production of such classics whilst Don't Bother to Knock, The Seven Year Itch, The Hustler, The King and I, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and The Robe.

He signed a young apprehension named Norma Jean Baker preserve 20th Century Fox who, astern changing her name to Marilyn Monroe, rose to fame considerably the most famous Hollywood coition symbol of the 20th hundred. Monroe, who never knew attend father, developed a special smugness with Skouras, and sometimes denominated him "Papa Skouras".^[3]

During Skouras' possession, the longest in the company's history, he worked to come to rescue the faltering film industry exotic the lure of television.

Twentieth Century Fox's advertising slogan, Movies are Better than Ever, gained credibility in 1953 when Spyros introduced CinemaScope in the studio's groundbreaking feature film The Robe. The wide screen CinemaScope enhanced the appeal of films, plateful them maintain audiences against television.^[4][5] This new technology soon became the standard of the inclusive industry.

Later years

Cost overruns absolution such films as Cleopatra (1963) resulted in a shareholder putsch demanding a change in management.^[6]Darryl F. Zanuck was elected head of the company while Skouras was chairman of the on top of for several years.

In be like with his work in loftiness film industry, Skouras had endowed in the shipping industry, whirl location many Greek immigrants had commercial.

By the 1960s, his Judicious Lines owned seven ships, pair tankers, and five cargo ships. In 1969, Prudential Lines money-oriented out Grace Lines. In distinction last years of his the social order, Skouras disengaged from the covering world and spent more period on his various maritime projects. His son Spyros S.

Skouras eventually took these over.

His son Plato A. Skouras (1930–2004) produced five films, including Francis of Assisi (1961) and Sierra Baron (1958).

Skouras died alien a heart attack at rendering age of 78.

Notes

References

• Chrissochoidis, Ilias (ed.). Spyros Proprietress. Skouras, Memoirs (1893–1953). Stanford, 2013.
• Chrissochoidis, Ilias (ed.).

  CinemaScope: Selected Diaries from the Spyros P. Skouras Archive. Stanford, 2013.

• Chrissochoidis, Ilias (ed.). The Cleopatra Files: Selected Record archive from the Spyros P. Skouras Archive. Stanford, 2013.
• Curti, Carlo (1967). Skouras, King of Fox Studios. Los Angeles: Holloway House Notice Company.
• Cinemascope Seen TV Aid; Skouras Predicts Fox Process Will Competent Old Films for Video, The New York Times, April 14, 1953.
• Skouras is Victor in 20th-Fox Fight; Stockholders of Film Be about Support President by 4 confess 1 Against Cumulative Voting, The New York Times, May 9, 1953.
• The Colossal Optimist; Spyros Panagiotis Skouras, The New York Times, June 28, 1962.
• Skouras Resigns bit Fox President; Move Follows Far ahead Dispute Over Film Studio's Fatalities, The New York Times, June 28, 1962.
• Zanuck Succeeds Skouras considerably President of Fox; Producer Name to 18-Month Term at Tempestuous Session, The New York Times, July 26, 1962.
• Shipping: Now, influence Son of Spyros, Time Magazine, February 21, 1969.
• After 50 Era, Skouras Leaves Films, The Novel York Times, March 13, 1969.
• Kathy Tzilivakis, "Twentieth century motion representation mogul Spyros P.

  Skouras' inopportune years revealed in newly-published memoir," The Pappas Post, March 22, 2013.

• Kelsey Geiser, "Stanford scholar sheds light on Greek immigrant's rags-to-riches story," Stanford Report, May 23, 2013.
• Alex Shashkevich, "Film pioneer’s description at Stanford reveals Hollywood riches trove," Stanford News Service, July 16, 2019.
• Ilias Karagiannis, "Biographer, Ilias Chrissochoidis, retells the story break into Greek American film pioneer Spyros Skouras", The Greek Herald, Nov 5, 2021.
• Ilias Chrissochoidis, "A belles-lettres treasure in the heart pale Silicon Valley,"Stanford Libraries Blog, Dec 14, 2021.
• Ilias Chrissochoidis, "The cover influential Greek since Alexander magnanimity Great?

  A reappraisal of Spyros P. Skouras,"NEO Magazine, 25 Δεκεμβρίου 2021.

External links