About

Known credits:
104
Birthday:
1876-12-25
Place of birth:
Yaroslav, Russian Empire
Website:
N/A

Joseph M. Schenck

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joseph Michael Schenck (/ˈskɛŋk/; December 25, 1876 – October 22, 1961) was a Russian-born American film studio executive.

Schenck was born to a Jewish family in Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia. He and his family – including younger brother Nicholas – emigrated to New York City in July 1892 under the name Ossip Schenker. Recognizing the potential, in 1909 the Schenck brothers purchased Palisades Amusement Park and afterward became participants in the fledgling motion picture industry in partnership with Marcus Loew, operating a chain of movie theaters.

In 1916, through his involvement in the film business, Joseph Schenck met and married Norma Talmadge, a top young star with Vitagraph Studios. He would be the first of her three husbands, but she was his only wife. Schenck supervised, controlled and nurtured her career in alliance with her mother. In 1917 the couple formed the Norma Talmadge Film Corporation, which became a lucrative enterprise. They divorced in 1934; Schenck then built a home in Palm Springs, California.

After parting ways with his brother, Joseph Schenck moved to the West Coast where the future of the film industry seemed to lie. Within a few years Schenck was made the second president of the new United Artists.

In 1933 he partnered with Darryl F. Zanuck to create Twentieth Century Pictures that merged with Fox Film Corporation in 1935. As chairman of the new 20th Century Fox, he was one of the most powerful and influential people in the film business. Caught in a payoff scheme to buy peace with the militant unions, he was convicted of income tax evasion and spent time in prison before being granted a presidential pardon. Following his release, he returned to 20th Century Fox where he became infatuated with the unknown Marilyn Monroe, and played a key role in launching her career.

One of the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, in 1952 he was given a special Academy Award in recognition of his contribution to the development of the film industry. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6757 Hollywood Blvd.

Schenck retired in 1957 and shortly afterward suffered a stroke, from which he never fully recovered. He died in Los Angeles in 1961 at the age of 84, and was interred in Maimonides Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Known for

Production
2025 Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. with R.E.M.'s Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi: A Silents Synced Film Production Producer N/A
N/A
1936 As You Like It Production Producer 58
Average
1935 Folies Bergère Production Producer N/A
N/A
1934 Born to Be Bad Production Executive Producer 58
Average
1934 The Last Gentleman Production Producer 58
Average
1933 Ye Olden Days Production Producer 59
Average
1933 Mickey's Mellerdrammer Production Producer 59
Average
1933 Mickey's Pal Pluto Production Producer 58
Average
1933 Hallelujah, I'm a Bum Production Executive Producer 59
Average
1933 The Mad Doctor Production Producer 60
Fair
1933 Building a Building Production Producer 59
Average
1932 Rain Production Executive Producer 59
Average
1930 The Bat Whispers Production Producer 59
Average
1930 Abraham Lincoln Production Producer 58
Average
1930 Du Barry, Woman of Passion Production Producer 58
Average
1930 The Bad One Production Producer N/A
N/A
1930 One Romantic Night Production Producer 59
Average
1930 Be Yourself! Production Executive Producer 58
Average
1929 New York Nights Production Producer 58
Average
1929 Eternal Love Production Producer 58
Average
1929 Lady of the Pavements Production Producer 58
Average
1928 The Woman Disputed Production Producer 59
Average
1928 Tempest Production Executive Producer 59
Average
1928 Steamboat Bill, Jr. Production Executive Producer 65
Fair
1927 College Production Producer 60
Fair
1927 Camille Production Producer 58
Average
1926 The General Production Producer 73
Good
1926 The Duchess of Buffalo Production Producer 58
Average
1926 Battling Butler Production Executive Producer 60
Fair
1925 Go West Production Producer 60
Fair
1925 Her Sister from Paris Production Producer 59
Average
1925 Seven Chances Production Producer 64
Fair
1924 The Navigator Production Executive Producer 62
Fair
1924 Sherlock Jr. Production Producer 73
Good
1923 Our Hospitality Production Producer 64
Fair
1923 The Dangerous Maid Production Producer N/A
N/A
1923 Three Ages Production Producer 60
Fair
1923 Ashes of Vengeance Production Producer 58
Average
1923 The Love Nest Production Producer 60
Fair
1923 The Voice from the Minaret Production Executive Producer N/A
N/A
1923 The Balloonatic Production Producer 59
Average
1922 Day Dreams Production Producer 59
Average
1922 The Electric House Production Producer 60
Fair
1922 The Eternal Flame Production Producer N/A
N/A
1922 The Frozen North Production Producer 59
Average
1922 The Blacksmith Production Producer 59
Average
1922 My Wife's Relations Production Producer 59
Average
1922 Cops Production Producer 62
Fair
1922 Smilin' Through Production Executive Producer 59
Average
1922 The Paleface Production Producer 59
Average
1921 The Boat Production Producer 59
Average
1921 The Play House Production Producer 60
Fair
1921 The Goat Production Producer 61
Fair
1921 The High Sign Production Producer 61
Fair
1921 The Haunted House Production Producer 60
Fair
1920 Neighbors Production Producer 61
Fair
1920 Convict 13 Production Producer 60
Fair
1920 The Branded Woman Production Producer N/A
N/A
1920 One Week Production Producer 65
Fair
1920 The Woman Gives Production Producer N/A
N/A
1920 The Garage Production Producer 59
Average
1920 A Daughter of Two Worlds Production Producer N/A
N/A
1920 She Loves and Lies Production Producer N/A
N/A
1919 The Hayseed Production Producer 58
Average
1919 The Isle of Conquest Production Producer N/A
N/A
1919 Back Stage Production Producer 59
Average
1919 The Probation Wife Production Producer N/A
N/A
1919 The New Moon Production Producer N/A
N/A
1919 The Bank Clerk Production Producer N/A
N/A
1919 The Heart of Wetona Production Producer 58
Average
1918 The Forbidden City Production Producer 59
Average
1918 The Cook Production Producer 59
Average
1918 Her Only Way Production Producer N/A
N/A
1918 Good Night, Nurse! Production Producer 58
Average
1918 De Luxe Annie Production Producer N/A
N/A
1918 Moonshine Production Producer 58
Average
1918 The Bell Boy Production Producer 59
Average
1918 Out West Production Producer 59
Average
1918 The Ghosts of Yesterday Production Producer N/A
N/A
1917 A Country Hero Production Producer 59
Average
1917 The Secret of the Storm Country Production Producer N/A
N/A
1917 Coney Island Production Producer 59
Average
1917 The Moth Production Producer 58
Average
1917 Oh, Doctor! Production Producer 58
Average
1917 His Wedding Night Production Producer 58
Average
1917 The Rough House Production Producer 58
Average
1917 A Reckless Romeo Production Producer 58
Average
1917 Poppy Production Producer N/A
N/A
1917 The Butcher Boy Production Producer 59
Average
1917 The Law of Compensation Production Producer 58
Average
1917 Panthea Production Producer N/A
N/A

Crew
1936 The Prisoner of Shark Island Crew Presenter 59
Average
1934 The Affairs of Cellini Crew Presenter 58
Average
1929 Alibi Crew Presenter 58
Average
1928 Steamboat Bill, Jr. Crew Presenter 65
Fair
1927 College Crew Presenter 60
Fair
1926 Kiki Crew Presenter 59
Average
1923 Three Ages Crew Presenter 60
Fair
1921 The Goat Crew Presenter 61
Fair
1920 Neighbors Crew Presenter 61
Fair
1920 The Scarecrow Crew Presenter 62
Fair
1920 One Week Crew Presenter 65
Fair
1919 A Temperamental Wife Crew Presenter 58
Average
1918 Just a Woman Crew Presenter N/A
N/A