The Man Who Made the Movies

by Vanda Krefft

  In launching the project, Judith Regan was crucial. As the acquiring editor, she said yes quickly and decisively, forestalling what otherwise might have been much lost time. I am most grateful for this life-changing opportunity. Then, with Cal Morgan Jr. assigned as the supervising editor, I got doubly lucky. Although William Fox’s life story kept getting more complex, requiring an unexpected depth and duration of research, Cal remained always patient, understanding, courteous, and brilliantly insightful. When Cal moved on, the project was taken over by the capable Hannah Wood, and then by the estimable Eric Nelson and Eric Meyers, who have seen it through to completion. Along the way, Charlie Conrad also provided thought-provoking input.

  Because information about William Fox was widely dispersed and often deeply buried, this work would not have been possible without the support of outside organizations. I appreciate beyond words the honor of the awards I received; they seemed miraculously granted to a first-time author with a largely forgotten subject. A fellowship from the Leon Levy Center for Biography allowed me to spend the better part of a year in New York City exploring resources that revealed unanticipated dimensions of Fox’s life. Thank you to Shelby White for believing in biography, and to Brenda Wineapple, Nancy Milford, David Nasaw, Imani Wilson, and Caitlin Delohery for making the experience so welcoming and enjoyable. The Leon Levy fellowship was transformative not only because of the research opportunity, but also because of the chance to meet outstanding biographers: Brenda Wineapple, then director of the Center, whose scholarship, sensitivity to language, range of accomplishment, and remarkable kindness have been a constant inspiration; John Matteson, whose continued friendship I treasure and whose luminous work teaches me something new every time I read and reread it; and Wendy Lesser and Mary Lisa Gavenas, whose perceptive comments and suggestions led to many improvements.

  A senior fellowship from the Dedalus Foundation provided mainstay support for another year: I am most grateful to Jack Flam and Sean Meehan. Other research awards enabled travel to various libraries and archives: a Helm Fellowship at the Lilly Library at Indiana University, with thanks to Dr. Breon Mitchell, Joel Silver, Sarah McElroy Mitchell, Erika Dowell, and Penny R. Ramon; a Joseph and Eva R. Dave Fellowship at the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, with thanks to Bernard and Rosalyn Dave, Jerome Dave, Kevin Proffitt, Dr. Gary Zola, Dana Herman, Dorothy Smith, Lisa Frankel, Camille Servizzi, Elise Nienaber, and Jennifer Cole; an Albert M. Greenfield Fellowship at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, with thanks to the Albert M. Greenfield Foundation, James N. Green, Sarah Heim, Tammy Gaskell, Willhem Echevarria, Kaitlyn Pettengill, and Cornelia S. King; a Hagley Research Grant at the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, Delaware, with thanks to Dr. Roger Horowitz and Carol Ressler Lockman; a Haynes Research Stipend from the Historical Society of Southern California, with thanks to Dr. John O. Pohlmann; and a Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation Grant, with thanks to Diana Braunschweig. The valuable gift of an idyllic setting in which to write was provided by residencies at the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation in Taos, New Mexico, with thanks to Michael and Tonie Knight; and Wildacres Retreat in Little Switzerland, North Carolina, with thanks to Mike and Kathryn House.

  In addition to those whose names are mentioned above, staff members at many other libraries, archives, and government records offices enriched this work immeasurably. They quickly located and retrieved pertinent documents; they suggested related resources; they asked, “Have you thought about . . . ?” to which my response was usually, “No, but I can see now that I ought to have.” I am greatly indebted to: the staff at the Margaret Herrick Library, with thanks to Andrea Battiste, Stacey Behlmer, Devon Bloore, Cindy Desir, Marisa Duron, Mark Frerking, Tony Guzman, Barbara Hall, Mona Huntzing, Kristine Krueger, Jeff Miller, Brad Roberts, Jenny Romero, Faye Thompson, Libby Wertin, Galen Wilkes, and Kevin Wilkerson; Dr. Greg Wilsbacher and Andrew Murdoch at the Newsfilm Library, University of South Carolina; Millicent Vollono at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, author of the book The Five Towns about the upper class culture of Fox’s Long Island community; Chris Gushman at the National Archives and Records Administration, New York City; Robert Vaughn and Mike Pepin at the American Film Institute; Cynthia Rosado and Jackie Willoughby at the New York Public Library; Kevin Grace, Head and University Archivist, Archives & Rare Books Library, University of Cincinnati; Charles Silver and Katie Trainor at the Museum of Modern Art Film Study Center; Lisette Matano, archivist, Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Georgetown University Library; John F. Fox, Historian, FBI; Jonathon Auxier, Sandra Garcia-Myers, and Brett Service at Warner Bros. Archives, USC; Susan Lamb at the Santa Monica Public Library; Victoria R. Aspinwall at the Long Island Studies Institute, Hofstra University; Dennis Norton, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Trenton Office; David F. Miller, Twentieth Century Fox; Jenny McElroy, reference librarian, Minnesota Historical Society; Craig G. Wright, Archivist, Herbert Hoover Presidential Library; Heather Halpin, archivist at the Atlantic City Free Public Library; Ned Comstock at the Cinematic Arts Library, University of Southern California; the staff at the National Archives and Records Administration, Philadelphia; Lauren Buisson at UCLA, Charles E. Young Research Library Special Collections; Paul Haggett, Archives & Special Collection Technician, St. Lawrence University; Richard P. Hulser and Beth D. Werling at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County; the staff at the Los Angeles Family History Center; Ronald L. Rodgers, U.S. Pardon Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice; Randy Sowell, archivist at the Harry S. Truman Library; Leonora A. Gidlund and Kenneth Cobb at the New York City Municipal Archives; Debra Marzigliano at Nassau County Clerk’s Office; James Davis, attorney-advisor at the Office of Information Policy, U. S. Department of Justice; Wanda M. Hunt, Chief, FOIA/PA Section, Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Department of Justice; Tom Meyers at the Fort Lee Film Commission; Virginia Lewick, archivist at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library; Margaret Sherry Rich, reference librarian/archivist at Princeton University Library; Frances A. Hess, archivist at Temple Emanu-El, New York City; Josie Walters-Johnston, at the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Sound Division of the Library of Congress; Christine Anne George, reference librarian, Charles B. Sears Law Library, SUNY Buffalo; Michelle Skrovan at the Cleveland Public Library; and Rose Mitchell, Black Resource Center Librarian, AC Bilbrew Library, Los Angeles.

  For permission to use material from archival collections, thank you to Dan Ford, for permission to use the John Ford Papers at the Lilly Library; William Quigley, for permission to use photographs from the Quigley Publishing Company, a division of QP Media, Inc., located at the Quigley Photographic Archive, Georgetown University Library; and Shannon Fifer, Motion Picture Rights, Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. for permission to use information from the Warner Bros. Archives.

  At Twentieth Century Fox, many thanks to Stacey Snider and Andy Bandit for kind permission to use Fox Film photographs.

  A key resource of inestimable value was the America’s Historical Newspapers database, a searchable collection of U.S. newspapers, many from smaller and mid-sized towns, which reported early film industry news in enthusiastic detail—unlike big city papers, which were evidently too busy and/or sophisticated to do so. I am very grateful to David Loiterstein, of NewsBank, Inc. for arranging access.

  Colleagues, film history experts and enthusiasts, and Fox family members who shared information and guidance include, in alphabetical order: Andrea Alberts; Angela Aleiss; Robert S. Anderson; Janet Bergstrom, professor, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television; the late Robert S. Birchard, whose expansive knowledge of film history is much missed; Larry Blake, who demystified motion picture sound technology through many patient explanations and suggestions of additional resources; Rene Brunet; Bruce Calvert, who shared photos from his collection; Madrone and Bobby Collier, who provided Fox family information; the late Bill Devereaux (Devroe); Phillip Dye, who generously shared images and research information and who is creating a documentary reconstruction of Fox’s lost
Cleopatra; the late Leatrice Gilbert Fountain, who graciously offered memories of her father, actor John Gilbert; Susan Fox-Rosellini; Walter Grutchfield; Carolyn Mannon Haber of the Westwood Historical Society; Steve Haberman, for sharing his boundless knowledge of film history; Les Hammer; Chris Jacobsen, for information about June Caprice; J. B. Kaufman, who suggested many helpful resources and kindly took time out from his own research to retrieve and send Fox documents; Andrea Kott, who tirelessly read and reread much of the manuscript, helping to sharpen and enliven the writing; Miles Kreuger, founder and president of the Institute of the American Musical whose encyclopedic knowledge, exacting eye for detail, and very generous close reading of the manuscript resulted in many important refinements; Robin Larsen, for thought provoking discussions about film; Renita Lorden, who is writing a much needed biography of Clarence Muse; Thomas N. McCarter III; Merrill McCord, whose shared enthusiasm for the early years of Fox Film led to many enjoyable conversations; Patrick McGilligan; Ross Melnick, author of American Showman about Samuel “Roxy” Rothafel; Mathew Negru; Scott Nollen; Jim Pearsall, for memories of Fox Hall; Mihaela Popescu, Associate Professor of Communication Studies at CSU, San Bernardino, for thoughtful comments and constant encouragement; Susan Fox Rosellini; Dan Rottenberg, author of The Outsider, for perspective on Albert M. Greenfield; Anthony Slide; Bill Savoy, for answering countless questions and sharing his vast knowledge about the Roxy Theatre; Erin Shade, for information about the Sheehan family; Rick Simon, for many engaging conversations about the Fox family; Paul Swann, professor of Film and Media Arts at Temple University; Stan Taffel; Jo-Ann Fox-Weingarten; Amy Wiggin, for information about John Zanft and Hattie Carnegie; and Anne Williams, for family memories.

  Max J. Sprecher, of the Law Offices of Max J. Sprecher in Woodland Hills, California, provided astute and efficient guidance. I am most grateful for his help.

  For initial New York City research assistance, I thank Katya Apekina, and the resourceful and enterprising Courtney Banks.

  To family members and friends whose belief in the work helped keep it moving forward, thanks to my cousin Maria Kukuruzinska, for encouragement and many kindnesses; to my late stepfather, Jack Hoisington, who always believed strongly in this book but who, sadly, did not live to see its publication; to the aforementioned Brenda Wineapple, John Matteson, and Andrea Kott, who deserve to be mentioned again; Marianne and Tony Hudz; the Tribull family—Chris, Cynthia, Christina, and Dietrich; Carole Chambers Burch; and Tom Nesi.

  To anyone whose name I may have inadvertently omitted, please forgive me. Your help, too, contributed vitally to this work.

  BIBLIOGRAPHY

  Because more than 2,000 newspaper, magazine, and trade publication articles were used, many of them only once, they are not listed here. Instead, full citations are given in the first instance in the Endnotes.

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