Moguls: The Lives and Times of Hollywood Film Pioneers Nicholas and Joseph Schenck

The sensational, lurid, and wickedly entertaining true story of the brothers who invented Hollywood to become the godfathers of cinema - movie moguls Nicholas and Joseph Schenck - studded with glamorous stars, scandals, mobsters, murders, and one legendary blond bombshell. . .

Groundbreaking pioneers of the Hollywood Dream Factory, Joseph and Nicholas Schenck may not have been household names like the Warner brothers or Louis B. Mayer, but they were infinitely more powerful, influential--and ruthless. A pair of Russian immigrants with giant ambitions, the Schencks turned their small nickelodeon business in New York's Bowery into a partnership with Loew's movie theaters and a controlling interest in three major studios: MGM, 20th Century Fox, and United Artists. They painted the silver screen silver, laid the foundations for the all-powerful studio system, and ruled a global movie empire from their Gatsby-sized mansions on the East and West coasts. The Schencks had become moguls.

Their story is the stuff of legends--and their scandals are among the greatest stories Hollywood never told. This riveting, behind-the-scenes account reveals the suprising truth about:

• The union-busting mob deal that landed Joe Schenck in federal prison for four years--on tax evasion charges including deductions for a menage a trois.
• The cutthroat and merciless political maneuvering that defined the Hollywood studio heads.
• The lurid murder charges against silent film star "Fatty" Arbuckle--whose legal defense was paid for by Joe Schenck.
• Joe's secret infatuation with Marilyn Monroe, even though Marilyn's mother named her Norma after Joe's wife!
• The brothers' ingenious creation of the Academy of Motion Pictures and the Oscars--and indomitable control over the entire film industry.

From the earliest days of silent films and the swinging era of the Roaring Twenties, through the Golden Age of the studio system and the patriotic call of WWII, to the Red Scare paranoia of the McCarthy years, the history of the Schenck brothers is the story of Hollywood itself--and the endurng power of the American Dream. Moguls is a must-read for film fans, history buffs, and anyone who loves the movies.

Author: Michael Benson, Craig Singer
Publisher: Citadel Press
Published: 09/24/2024
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.25lbs
ISBN: 9780806543086


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 08/01/2024 pg. 93

About the Author
Michael Benson is the author of more than sixty books, including the nonfiction history and crime titles Gangsters vs Nazis, Betrayal in Blood, Killer Twins, Mommy Deadliest, Who's Who in the JFK Assassination, and The Devil at Genesee Junction. He is the co-author, along with Frank Dimatteo, of the acclaimed American Mafia history books Carmine the Snake, Mafia Hit Man, and Lord High Executioner. He regularly appears on ID: Investigation Discovery channel and is the recipient of the Academy of American Poets Award. Benson lives in New York and can be found on Facebook @authorMichaelBenson.

Craig Singer is an Emmy-nominated director, producer, writer and filmmaker. A Former Disney executive, he directed and produced the films A Good Night to Die (2003), Dark Ride (2006), Perkins' 14 (2009) and Animal Room (1995). His latest film, 6:45, earned multiple awards, including Best Feature, Paris Independent Film Festival; Best Feature, Hollywood on the Tiber Film Awards; Best Horror Feature, Hong Kong Indie Film Festival; and Best Director, Catalina Film Festival. He was nominated for an Emmy in the interactive fiction category in 2008 and his series have been honored many times by the Telly's and Webby's. He lives in New Jersey and Moguls is his first book.