Adolph Zukor — Blue Book of the Screen (1923) 🇺🇸

Adolph Zukor, president of the Famous Players-Lasky corporation, is referred to as the giant of the motion-picture business. The history of his upward climb, after coming to America, is absorbing.

Mr. Zukor is 50 years of age. He came to this country from Hungary at the age of 16 with $25 in his pocket. His first job netted him $2 a week while toiling in a fur establishment and going to school nights. Four years later he opened his own fur shop in Chicago. He prospered and married.

Returning to New York, he saw possibilities in the penny-in-the-slot machine, then very popular. He and Marcus Loew joined forces and put penny arcades all over the East. Then they founded the Marcus Loew Enterprises.

The first pictures were crude. In order to secure better quality, Mr. Zukor, who installed motion pictures in his theaters, afterwards decided to produce for himself. He was firmly convinced that the higher standard of pictures should be produced if moving pictures were to be a lasting success. He succeeded in selling the idea to Daniel Frohman and thus, in 1912, the Famous Players was formed.

Instead of shorter subjects, the company made the five-reel production the standard. Others followed, among them the Lasky and Bosworth [Jesse L. Lasky | Hobart Bosworth] companies. The Paramount corporation was formed for distribution of the pictures. In 1916 Famous Players and Lasky combined, Morosco [Oliver Morosco] joining the circle later the same year. The Paramount was absorbed in 1917.

Previous to this giant combine, Mr. Zukor produced “Queen Elizabeth,” with Sarah Bernhardt in the stellar role; “The Prisoner of Zenda,” with James K. Hackett, and other pictures with such artists as Mrs. Fiske and Ethel Barrymore.

The present organization presided over by Mr. Zukor has assets of $50,000,000 and nine thousand permanent employes in its big studios at Los Angeles and in New York.

Mr. and Mrs. Zukor (née Kaufman) live on a beautiful country estate at New City, Rockland County, New York, and in the winter in New York City. They have one son, Eugene J. Zukor, who is associated with his father in business; a daughter, Mildred (Mrs. Arthur Loew); a grandson, Eugene Adolph Zukor, and a granddaughter, Jane Constance Loew.

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Adolph Zukor (right) with S. R. Kent.

Portrait by White • New York

Collection: The Blue Book of the Screen (1923)