Joseph M. Schenck - Turner Classic Movies

Joseph M. Schenck


Executive

About

Also Known As
Joseph Schenck
Birth Place
Russia
Born
December 25, 1878
Died
October 20, 1961
Cause of Death
Heart Attack

Biography

Russian immigrant who began acquiring amusement parks with his brother Nicholas in the teens and soon became allied with the Loew organization, where he graduated to a senior executive position. Schenck left Loew's in 1917 to become an independent film producer, turning out vehicles for Norma Talmadge (his wife), Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle. After a spell at United Artists he co-fou...

Family & Companions

Norma Talmadge
Wife
Actor. Married 1917; divorced.

Biography

Russian immigrant who began acquiring amusement parks with his brother Nicholas in the teens and soon became allied with the Loew organization, where he graduated to a senior executive position. Schenck left Loew's in 1917 to become an independent film producer, turning out vehicles for Norma Talmadge (his wife), Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle. After a spell at United Artists he co-founded the 20th Century corporation with Darryl Zanuck, becoming chairman of the board of 20th Century-Fox after the 1935 merger. Schenck was forced to resign in 1941 when he was indicted for income tax irregularities, but returned to the fold as an executive producer after four months in jail. In 1953 he formed the Magna Corporation with Michael Todd, inventor of the Todd-AO widescreen process. Brother Nicholas, meanwhile, had remained with Loew's--he was appointed chairman of the board in 1955--and exerted a tremendous influence over the output of their production and distribution subsidiary, MGM.

Filmography

 

Producer (Feature Film)

White Fang (1936)
Presented By
Professional Soldier (1936)
Presented By
A Message to Garcia (1936)
Presented By
The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936)
Presented By
King of Burlesque (1936)
Presented By
Under Two Flags (1936)
Presented By
Sins of Man (1936)
Presented By
Clive of India (1935)
Presented By
Les Misérables (1935)
Presented By
Folies Bergère de Paris (1935)
Presented By
Metropolitan (1935)
Presented By
The Call of the Wild (1935)
Presented By
Cardinal Richelieu (1935)
Presented By
Show Them No Mercy! (1935)
Presented By
Thanks a Million (1935)
Presented By
L'homme des Folies Bergère (1935)
Presented By
The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo (1935)
Presented By
The Last Gentleman (1934)
Presented By
Moulin Rouge (1934)
Presented By
The House of Rothschild (1934)
Presented By
The Affairs of Cellini (1934)
Presented By
The Mighty Barnum (1934)
Presented By
Looking for Trouble (1934)
Presented By
Gallant Lady (1934)
Presented By
Born to Be Bad (1934)
Presented By
Blood Money (1933)
Presented By
I Cover the Waterfront (1933)
Presented By
Hallelujah I'm a Bum (1933)
Presented By
The Bowery (1933)
Presented By
Advice to the Lovelorn (1933)
Presented By
Rain (1932)
Presented By
Indiscreet (1931)
Presented By
Reaching for the Moon (1931)
Presented By
Kiki (1931)
Presented By
Du Barry, Woman of Passion (1930)
Presented By
The Bat Whispers (1930)
Presented By
The Lottery Bride (1930)
Presented By
Puttin' on the Ritz (1930)
Presented By
Lummox (1930)
Presented By
Be Yourself! (1930)
Presented By
The Bad One (1930)
Presented By
One Romantic Night (1930)
Presented By
Abraham Lincoln (1930)
Presented By
Eternal Love (1929)
Presented By
Alibi (1929)
Presented By
Lady of the Pavements (1929)
Presented By
New York Nights (1929)
Presented By
The Battle of the Sexes (1928)
Presented By
The Woman Disputed (1928)
Presented By
Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
Presented By
College (1927)
Presented By
Sorrell and Son (1927)
Presented By
Breakfast at Sunrise (1927)
Presented By
Camille (1927)
Presented By
The General (1927)
Producer
Venus of Venice (1927)
Presented By
The Dove (1927)
Presented By
The Duchess of Buffalo (1926)
Presented By
Kiki (1926)
Presented By
Battling Butler (1926)
Presented By
Graustark (1925)
Presented By
Her Sister From Paris (1925)
Presented By
The Lady (1925)
Presented By
Go West (1925)
Presented By
Seven Chances (1925)
Presented By
Learning To Love (1925)
Presented By
Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
Presented By
The Goldfish (1924)
Presented By
Her Night of Romance (1924)
Presented By
The Navigator (1924)
Presented By
Secrets (1924)
Presented By
The Only Woman (1924)
Presented By
Ashes of Vengeance (1923)
Producer
The Song of Love (1923)
Presented By
The Voice from the Minaret (1923)
Presented By
The Dangerous Maid (1923)
Presented By
Three Ages (1923)
Producer
Within the Law (1923)
Presented By
Ashes of Vengeance (1923)
Presented By
Smilin' Through (1922)
Presented By
The Primitive Lover (1922)
Presented By
The Eternal Flame (1922)
Presented By
Polly of the Follies (1922)
Presented By
East Is West (1922)
Producer
Cops (1922)
Producer
Mama's Affair (1921)
Producer
Love's Redemption (1921)
Presented By
The Passion Flower (1921)
Presented By
Lessons in Love (1921)
Presented By
Wedding Bells (1921)
Presented By
The Wonderful Thing (1921)
Presented By
The Sign on the Door (1921)
Presented By
Woman's Place (1921)
Presented By
The Playhouse (1921)
Producer
Dangerous Business (1920)
Presented By
She Loves and Lies (1920)
Presented By
A Daughter of Two Worlds (1920)
Presented By
The Branded Woman (1920)
Presented By
The Woman Gives (1920)
Presented By
The Perfect Woman (1920)
Presented By
Good References (1920)
Presented By
The Perfect Woman (1920)
Producer
The New Moon (1919)
Presented By
A Temperamental Wife (1919)
Presented By
A Virtuous Vamp (1919)
Presented By
The Way of a Woman (1919)
Presented By
The Probation Wife (1919)
Presented By
The Isle of Conquest (1919)
Presented By
The Heart of Wetona (1919)
Producer
The New Moon (1919)
Producer
The Safety Curtain (1918)
Presented By
The Ghosts of Yesterday (1918)
Presented By
De Luxe Annie (1918)
Presented By
The Forbidden City (1918)
Presented By
Her Only Way (1918)
Presented By
By Right of Purchase (1918)
Presented By
Just a Woman (1918)
Presented By
The Ghosts of Yesterday (1918)
Producer
The Moth (1917)
Presented By
Poppy (1917)
Presented By
The Secret of the Storm Country (1917)
Presented By
Panthea (1917)
Presented By
The Secret of the Storm Country (1917)
Producer
The Law of Compensation (1917)
Presented By
The Law of Compensation (1917)
Producer

Production Companies (Feature Film)

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
Company

Cast (Short)

Hard Luck (1921)
Presenter
The Goat (1921)
Presenter
The High Sign (1921)
Presenter
The Boat (1921)
Presenter

Producer (Short)

The Love Nest (1923)
Producer (Uncredited)
Daydreams (1922)
Producer (Uncredited)
My Wife's Relations (1922)
Producer (Uncredited)
The Frozen North (1922)
Producer
Haunted House (1921)
Producer
Neighbors (1921)
Producer (Uncredited)
Convict 13 (1920)
Producer
One Week (1920)
Producer

Life Events

1917

Produced first film, "Butcher Boy"

1924

Elected chairman of board, United Artists

1935

Chairman of board, 20th Century Fox

1941

Sentenced to year in jail for tax irregularities

1953

Co-founded Magna corporation with Michael Todd

Videos

Movie Clip

Sherlock Jr. (1924) -- (Movie Clip) Shadow Your Man Closely Rejected as a thief by the father of now-dejected "Girl" (Kathryn McGuire), the hero (director and star Buster Keaton) follows his mail-order detective's handbook and his suspect (Ward Crane, who in fact framed him) in Sherlock Jr., 1924.
Sherlock Jr. (1924) -- (Movie Clip) Be Careful! Still immersed in his movie-based dream, the projectionist/hero (director Buster Keaton, as the title character) stays calm under pressure as he flees villains and gets an unexpected assist from his real-life boss and fantasy-assistant (Ford West) in Sherlock Jr., 1924.
Sherlock Jr. (1924) -- (Movie Clip) I Never Thought You'd Make It! Continuing the famous chase sequence, still in the imaginary movie into-which he's dreamed himself, star and director Buster Keaton as the title character is more alone than he realizes, in Sherlock Jr., 1924.
Sherlock Jr. (1924) -- (Movie Clip) Opening, Old Proverb The opening sequence introduces the title character's real-life persona, his boss (Ford West) and "the girl" (Kathryn McGuire), the premise behind the title still to be revealed, in Buster Keaton's action-fantasy-comedy Sherlock Jr., 1924.
Sherlock Jr. (1924) -- (Movie Clip) The Crime-Crushing Criminologist Buster Keaton appears in his second role as the title character, in the movie into which he's dreamed himself, and in which his girl and his rival (Kathryn McGuire, Ward Crane), now appear, in the acclaimed silent comedy Sherlock Jr., 1924.
Sherlock Jr. (1924) -- (Movie Clip) Hearts And Pearls Exhausted and frustrated with his amateur detective efforts, the hero dozes off at work in the projection room and dreams himself into a movie called Hearts And Pearls, executing one of director and star Buster Keaton's more transcendent ideas, in Sherlock Jr., 1924.
Battling Butler (1926) -- (Movie Clip) Go Out And Rough It Opening with his parents and valet (Snitz Edwards), director Buster Keaton is affluent milquetoast Alfred Butler, who agrees that camping might toughen him up, in Battling Butler, 1926, produced Joseph Schenck, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn, exteriors shot at the Talmadge on Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.
Battling Butler (1926) -- (Movie Clip) A Little Road Work In a panic to prevent his new wife (Sally O’Neil) realizing he’s not the lightweight champ boxer (Francis McDonald) who borrowed his name, Alfred “Battling” Butler (director and star Buster Keaton), aided by his valet (Snitz Edwards) contrives to act like he’s training with the real crew, in Battling Butler, 1926.
Battling Butler (1926) -- (Movie Clip) Put Up Your Hands Because the real lightweight champ who took his name has quit (in order to avoid fighting the dreaded “Alabama Murderer”), and to prevent his new wife finding out he’s not a boxer at all, director and star Buster Keaton trains, with his valet (Snitz Edwards) and coach (Tom Wilson), in Battling Butler, 1926.
Battling Butler (1926) -- (Movie Clip) Isn't She Pretty? Playing the over-resourced but incompetent hunter Alfred Butler (shooting along the Kern River, near Bakersfield), director and star Buster Keaton blunders around with his valet (Snitz Edwards), but is pleased to meet the charming “Mountain Girl” (Sally O’Neil), early in Battling Butler, 1926.
Seven Chances (1925) -- (Movie Clip) I Must Wed Someone! Having learned that he must wed by evening to win a giant inheritance, lawyer Jimmy (Buster Keaton) rushes to long-time girlfriend Mary (Ruth Dwyer), first succeeding by accident, then blowing it, early in Seven Chances, 1925.
Seven Chances (1925) -- (Movie Clip) Would You Marry Me? Pushed by his partner (T. Roy Barnes) to marry by evening in order to claim an inheritance that will save their firm, lawyer Jimmy (Buster Keaton) tries his luck at the country club, in Seven Chances, 1925.

Trailer

Family

Nicholas Schenck
Brother
Executive.

Companions

Norma Talmadge
Wife
Actor. Married 1917; divorced.

Bibliography