february november foremost producers hollywood golden age head production career big major film studios golden age columbia twice paramount late 1950s serve briefly board directors major mgm world war served army film producer attaining rank lieutenant colonel war founded later joined studio produced films considered classics wonderful life state union brothers film producers sons sister married eventual chairman columbia spent decade life vice president head production death heart attack early life born february russia new_york_city parents benjamin brothers murray film producers sister married film studio executive brother film industry theater manager sales capacities sources birthplace russia indicate born new_york parents immigrated product public school system obtained college degree accounting career silent era graduating college worked entered film industry brothers incorporated left studio created independent production company named company scheduled produce films east coast california company incorporated produced films gave brother start film industry banner film producer right company film melodrama directed starring picture filmed near new_york film produce man heart directed king filmed bennett studios time starring addition producing films travel country making sales deals company films produce melodrama starring followed film brooding eyes starring legendary saw film crew location mexico shooting starring late sister late died suddenly dissolved banner advent sound banner returned work began producing given control productions risen executive studio sharing honors studio head giving closing address columbia annual sales meeting july end assistant general manager columbia visit new_york_city signed broadway long term contracts studio including active production office columbia played columbia baseball team competed working columbia met brother employed banner joined producer columbia early 1930s gained reputation producer known putting quality product saving money cinematographer film directed explained film stock footage expensive studio general manager personally supervised making picture matter getting dollar worth production dollar spent executive business wise production fall flat scenes merely adequate spared expense assuring absolute authenticity detail production studio head implement new unit production system producers given specific responsibility individual films supervising dozens pictures given year new class producer selected maintaining assistant general manager status went assistant general manager general manager columbia announcement early june february home thieves dollars appointed studios representative producers actors code committee february named chairman following month appointed finance committee overseeing brother columbia unit producers selected personnel representing film studios negotiations representing producers included point considered important studio executives industry included group called brain trust included june acting representative major studios met representatives film camera manufacturers attempt reach agreement sides pool resources order develop silent film camera september signed new contract columbia having courted paramount later month elected producers branch appointed member executive committee agreement studios freelance expired selected producers represent studios negotiations addition representing producers negotiations writers selected producers negotiate new contract actors guild august contract columbia speculation began approached studios including mgm years september seven years resigned columbia failing reach agreement stock options years film industry knew responsible successes columbia studio head taking credit shortly reports began headed 20th century fox shortly report offered office position mgm turned wanted actively involved film production followed denial fox headed studio rumors circulated group aligned attempting takeover universal year end agreed deal produce films deal reached fruition ended agreeing deal join studio vice president charge production position newly created especially remained overall head running aspects production concern conflict long term producer conflict received year extension contract sole authority productions answering directly arrangement long february role studio changing title longer having control production february mentioned handful producers demand write ticket mentioned included april year putting mark purchased properties signed numerous actors lured successful producers studio later year gained rights successful irish play stars playwright led responsible bringing hollywood american film debut members play original cast abbey theatre dublin signed appear film version middle year backing studio head led studio inception resigning august months prior contract heading vice presidency columbia upcoming production season announced intended star caliber performers film september elected board governors including following month initiated policy younger players contract appear stage productions stock little theater companies short periods order actors gain experience october chosen succeed chairman motion picture community chest led productive year date end year new medium introduced television asked threat new entertainment source pose film industry thought actually help films felt greatest thing happen industry years ago radio broadcasting began feared people sit home listen free radio entertainment instead movies best years radio broadcasting came december reports began surface long term contract impending reorganization given year extension promise long term deal reorganization complete decision begin color films responsible bringing poverty row producer responsible bringing screen strike union concern joined members producers chosen producers guild negotiate actors union head joining new film season started summer announced significant increase overall production budget million season million season mid july announced received long term extension contract months later revealed deal finalized considering leaving early november change official resigned head production offered year deal studio rejected rumors began headed early december reported heading paramount denied reports return columbia began speculation considered film executives industry mid reported negotiations return studio columbia role general manager discussed major positions industry production head announced columbia reached year agreement head production studio resumed position general manager agreement issued stock options shares columbia stock value share return columbia reunite brother producer columbia years money hollywood earnings topping putting columbia later pending hearing lawsuit alleging unfair labor practices studios directors chosen producers representing studios alongside sitting table friend involved potential legal proceedings number producers called testify alleged studios screen writers guild hearings alleged opposed proposed merger authors guild outbreak hostilities europe asia beginning world war created sub committee organization headed council chairman producers named committee group formed advise arms government creation production training films shortly committee formation decided facilities hollywood film studios available army use filming production mid november committee chair major participated interviews members order select writers new_jersey work army personnel developing scripts training films war years announced effort increase cooperation different countries use film chaired government committee requested help associations chairman appointed chair committee south american film facilities expanded continued producers april promoted head production columbia joined reserve officer commissioned major charge film division attack pearl harbor japanese december concern film professionals hollywood officers armed forces reserves called active duty acknowledged vice chair month chair created sub committee order find technicians enlist june rewarded year contract columbia rate week stock options august duties columbia divided anticipation called active duty army called active duty september resigning position president screen writers guild handle responsibilities columbia active duty columbia continued contract reduced salary week roles recruiting industry personnel serve photographers army report loss talent hollywood armed services producers cited late march suffered heart attack active military service received medical discharge military service awarded legion merit july returned columbia army rank lieutenant colonel shortly return civilian life parted ways columbia september shortly left columbia announced begin production company long time friend company highlight annual film active duty army charge opening company offices negotiating distribution deals preparing company begin production soon discharged initially company simply known happening asked return active duty time navy brief stint beginning march assigned evaluate navy filming activity end month finished study submitted findings captain head navy returned hollywood continue setting service incorporated new film studio late april properties went hugely successful play harvey july convinced join fledgling company owner agreeing start work company soon discharged army produce film year studio august negotiated deal film movies studio september announced company produce films year deal end year owner venture company announced november production wonderful life produced directed spring announced liberty getting fifth partner producer director deal saw fruition film released november financial failure year films ranked box office gross unable high production cost million profit film release outspoken advocate policy longer runs films allowing cost production longer runs told quality films decline production costs continued studio receiving positive critical reviews struggling financially march rumors began company taken major studios studio film state union starring scheduled distributed mgm addition mgm deal sought distribution deals major studios including paramount partners sought major studio buy bank stevens violently opposed idea april rumors began deal sale company paramount_pictures rumors confirmed following month paramount bought liberty partners given total paramount stock stevens offered picture contracts paramount given studio executive position paramount specifically created stevens decided accept paramount offer continued independent producer deal took months reach fruition finally culminating treasury signed tax setup september stay paramount senior production executive paramount years new decade speculated sign agreement charge production new position function facto head production studio accepting position tenure short lived resigned january undisclosed illness remained employed studio april announced remain paramount signed year contract produce studio july selected head radio advertising campaign campaign scheduled debut october acting stars hollywood personalities time personal appearances state capitals locations later changed major cities scheduling conflict state governors addition responsibilities paramount late partnered produce films distributed films scheduled release partly responsible financing having production oversight time considered important independent partnership hollywood community partnership known short lived producing films agreed universal film noir starring january appointed executive board paramount produced highly commercially successful starring success paramount obtained rights sons assigned project produce starring brought remainder contract paramount film hold produced different producer asked released final years agreement paramount studio agreed condition finish work remaining film commitment studio wild starring produced independent film company agreement paramount mgm controversy return columbia embroiled controversy related control mgm battle brought member mgm mgm production head producer studio special board meeting held appoint executives held illegal mayer appointments overturned conflict continued year mgm held meeting october meeting shareholders agreed expand board adding new directors group clearly routed gaining single seat single seat seat mgm board year unexpected death studio head late february columbia board directors selected committee pursue hiring replacement early april confirmed considering april resigned mgm order return columbia time vice president addition executive production roles members board directors company formed express purpose buying shares columbia stock open market way display confidence company end vice president general manager studio april announced ambitious plan columbia scheduled films release month span studio head brother law tagged head program films scheduled production span included anatomy murder sun suddenly summer columbia affiliate new arm specializing film production military defense purposes experience world war july brother sold independent television production company columbia wholly owned subsidiary sale went work columbia prior forming company shortly reunited brother announced integrating screen gems columbia longer operate separate entity july production hit time high columbia million production time august despite rising production costs took unprecedented step lowering fees columbia charged independent producers contract studio september announced elected columbia board directors position held death time elected columbia board announced son jerry joining columbia working screen gems division producer television series december contract columbia renewal shareholders filmography head production film studios overall charge productions studios executive producer capacity career directly produce films listed personal life death children jerry producer film industry working company father columbia followed father armed services world war sergeant jerry grandfather wife child son named bernard life known philanthropist active los_angeles served president halloween october major heart attack admitted critical condition hospital died weeks later november treatment
Samuel J. Briskin