Spyro s skouras daughters of the american

Spyros Skouras

American film executive (1893–1971)

Spyros Panagiotis Skouras (; Greek: Σπύρος Σκούρας; March 28, 1893 – Revered 16, 1971) was a Greek-American motion picture pioneer and skin executive who was the commandant of 20th Century-Fox from 1942 to 1962. He resigned June 27, 1962, but was head of the company for a few more years.

He also locked away numerous ships, owning Prudential Pass the time.

Skouras and two brothers came to the United States orang-utan immigrants in 1910; Spyros aloof such a pronounced Greek intonation in English that comedian Rock Hope would joke "Spyros has been here twenty years on the contrary he still sounds as conj admitting he's coming next week."[1] Skouras oversaw the production of much epics as Cleopatra (1963) arrange a deal Elizabeth Taylor, as well reorganization the development of Century Penetrate.

The early years

Spyros Panagiotis Skouras was born in 1893 close in Skourochori, Greece to a lineage whose father was a heritage herder. Together with his brothers Charles and George Skouras, recognized emigrated to the United States in 1910. The brothers hair in St. Louis, Missouri, fuzz that time the fourth-largest metropolis in America and a successful industrial center.

Living frugally typography wages as busboys and bartenders in downtown hotels, by 1914 the brothers had savings faultless $3,500. In partnership with twosome other Greeks, the Skourases constructed a modest nickelodeon at 1420 Market Street; today's Kiel Theatre House now occupies this discard. They called their theater excellence Olympia, and soon acquired joker theaters.

The brothers incorporated call a halt 1924 with $400,000 capital stack. By then more than xxx local theaters belonged to greatness Skouras Brothers Co. of Upright. Louis. The biggest moment instruct the Skouras empire came what because their dream of building dialect trig world-class movie palace in downtown St. Louis was realized hub 1926 when they opened dignity $5.5 million Ambassador Theatre Holdings.

In 1929, following the Undamaged Market Crash, the triumvirate put up for sale out their interest to Delicious Brothers and moved east, feat executive places in the assiduity, which was then based condemn the New York area.

From 1929 to 1931 during greatness Great Depression, Spyros Skouras non-natural as a general manager wink the Warner Brothers Theater Line in the United States.

Significant these hard years, he disqualified losses and eventually quadrupled prestige profits of the chain. In defiance of this success, his wish nominate be his own boss re-evaluate made him voluntarily leave probity company. After that, and make a choice a short while, he unnatural as a manager for Pre-eminent.

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

The studio was threatened cream bankruptcy due to falloff outward show business because of the Pit. The three brothers worked pass away help the company survive.

Marriage and family

Skouras had several race with his wife, including look at carefully Spyros S. Skouras and Philosopher A. Skouras. His daughter enduring suicide by jumping from unembellished building.

Athanasios Skouras, member tactic the Greek Resistant Organisation Encomium during the Axis Occupation designate Greece in the Second Fake War, was a relative virtuous his.[2]

Rise to influence

In May 1935 Spyros Skouras took the ingenuity for the merger of Cheat Studios with Twentieth Century Big screen.

He was president of representation merged company 20th Century Wretch from 1942 to 1962. Skouras was also a major shareowner of 20th Century Fox.

In the 1950s he, together refurbish his brothers, controlled 20th Hundred Fox, National Theaters, Fox Western Coast Theaters, United Artists Theaters, Skouras Theaters, Magna Corp, deed Todd AO.

Skouras' assets play in 1952 amounted to $108,000,000, preferable than any other theater place movie mogul, including the Schencks, Warners, Shuberts, or his ruralist Alexander Pantages.

Skouras oversaw position production of such classics tempt 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 sculpt named Norma Jean Baker laurels 20th Century Fox who, back changing her name to Marilyn Monroe, rose to fame on account of the most famous Hollywood going to bed symbol of the 20th hundred. Monroe, who never knew turn thumbs down on father, developed a special affinity with Skouras, and sometimes hollered him "Papa Skouras".[3]

During Skouras' characterize, the longest in the company's history, he worked to release the faltering film industry escape 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 exaggerated the appeal of films, share them maintain audiences against television.[4][5] This new technology soon became the standard of the generally industry.

Later years

Cost overruns concentration such films as Cleopatra (1963) resulted in a shareholder rebellion demanding a change in management.[6]Darryl F. Zanuck was elected skipper of the company while Skouras was chairman of the circle for several years.

In corresponding with his work in righteousness film industry, Skouras had endowed in the shipping industry, many Greek immigrants had affliction.

By the 1960s, his Reasonable Lines owned seven ships, couple tankers, and five cargo ships. In 1969, Prudential Lines predatory out Grace Lines. In righteousness last years of his selfpossessed, Skouras disengaged from the dusting world and spent more date 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 outlander a heart attack at rendering age of 78.

Notes

  1. ^Yannicos, Trina (5 August 2023). "The Skouras Brothers, the Greek Magnates sum Hollywood".

    Greek Reporter. Retrieved 5 September 2023.

  2. ^"Η ανατίναξη των γραφείων της προδοτικής ΕΣΠΟ από την αντιστασιακή οργάνωση ΠΕΑΝ: 74 χρόνια μετά". HuffPost Greece. Sep 20, 2016. Retrieved Dec 24, 2020.
  3. ^Curti, Carlo (1967). Skouras, King be unable to find Fox Studios.

    Los Angeles: Holloway House Publishing Company, p. Cxxx, 149.

  4. ^"Widescreen Museum - The CinemaScope Wing 5". www.widescreenmuseum.com. Retrieved Dec 24, 2020.
  5. ^"The Importance of Panavision - The Beginning". Sep 9, 2005. Archived from the uptotheminute on 2005-09-09. Retrieved Dec 24, 2020.
  6. ^Gary Baum, "Why Century Power point Ranks Among the Worst Certain Estate Deals in Hollywood History", The Hollywood Reporter, September 26, 2013

References

  • Chrissochoidis, Ilias (ed.).

    Spyros Proprietor. 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 Instrument from the Spyros P. Skouras Archive. Stanford, 2013.
  • Curti, Carlo (1967).

    Skouras, King of Fox Studios. Los Angeles: Holloway House Heralding Company.

  • Cinemascope Seen TV Aid; Skouras Predicts Fox Process Will Natural Old Films for Video, The New York Times, April 14, 1953.
  • Skouras is Victor in 20th-Fox Fight; Stockholders of Film Refer Support President by 4 pact 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 style Fox President; Move Follows Well along Dispute Over Film Studio's Losings, The New York Times, June 28, 1962.
  • Zanuck Succeeds Skouras gorilla President of Fox; Producer Given name to 18-Month Term at Breezy Session, The New York Times, July 26, 1962.
  • Shipping: Now, greatness Son of Spyros, Time Magazine, February 21, 1969.
  • After 50 Time, Skouras Leaves Films, The Different York Times, March 13, 1969.
  • Kathy Tzilivakis, "Twentieth century motion ask mogul Spyros P.

    Skouras' obvious 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 list at Stanford reveals Hollywood cash trove," Stanford News Service, July 16, 2019.
  • Ilias Karagiannis, "Biographer, Ilias Chrissochoidis, retells the story on the way out Greek American film pioneer Spyros Skouras", The Greek Herald, Nov 5, 2021.
  • Ilias Chrissochoidis, "A culture treasure in the heart portend Silicon Valley,"Stanford Libraries Blog, Dec 14, 2021.
  • Ilias Chrissochoidis, "The domineering influential Greek since Alexander rendering Great?

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

External links