Barney Balaban | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Born | June 8, 1887 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | March 7, 1971 (aged 83) Byram, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Known for | President ofParamount Pictures |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Judith Rose Balaban Leonard "Red" Balaban Burt Balaban |
| Family | A. J. Balaban (brother) Max Balaban (brother) Elmer Balaban (brother) Bob Balaban (nephew) Jay Kanter (former son-in-law) Anthony Franciosa (former son-in-law) Don Quine (former son-in-law) |
Barney Balaban (June 8, 1887 – March 7, 1971) was an American film executive and innovator in the film industry who was president ofParamount Pictures from 1936 to 1964, and honorary chairman until his death.[1]
Barney Balaban was the eldest of the seven sons ofBessarabian-Jewish immigrants Augusta "Goldie" (née Mandebursky, later Levin)[2] fromOdesa and grocery store owner Israel Balaban, fromTiraspol.[3][4][5][6] His siblings in order wereA. J., Leah, Ida, John, Max, Dave, Harry andElmer.[7]
Balaban worked as a messenger boy and a cold storage company employee until 1908, when he was persuaded, at age 21, to go into the cinema business. According to a 1945 article inForbes magazine, his mother came home from her first picture show and commented, "The customers pay before they even see what they're paying for! There'll be money in that business."[8]
Balaban and his younger brothers rented the 100-seat Kedzie Theater. From there, Balaban's innovations changed the industry. In 1910, Balaban built the Circle Theatre, the first cinema to have a balcony. After his sister Ida married Sam Katz (1892–1960), the two brothers-in-law made plans for a chain of cinemas in the Midwest, theBalaban and Katz Theatre Chain. Barney's brothers John, Dave,Abe (aka A. J.), and Max all worked for Balaban and Katz. Brothers Elmer and Harry owned their own theater concern called H & E Balaban.
The first link in the chain, the Central Park Theatre in Chicago, opened in 1917. Balaban and Katz set about to create the firstair-conditioned movie theater. Their first theater cooling system combined a large fan blowing over cakes of ice in a washtub. Not only was the system noisy, it occasionally blew a shower of water onto the patrons.[8] Balaban enlisted the aid of an engineer friend to create a workable system, and crowds began to go to the movies to escape the heat during the summer months, making motion picture exhibition a year-round business.
The Balaban and Katz chain (B & K) incorporated in 1923. A controlling interest was purchased in 1926 byFamous Players–Lasky Corporation in exchange for thirteen million dollars in stock. On July 2, 1936, Paramount's directors elected Balaban president of the studio, succeedingJohn E. Otterson. As president, Balaban had the philosophy that Paramount had a responsibility "to explain America, its customs, and its people, to the world." Balaban, the son of Bessarabian emigrants who had lived the American Dream, purchased one of the 14 original copies of theBill of Rights fromA.S.W. Rosenbach and, in 1945, donated it to theLibrary of Congress "as an expression of gratitude for the freedom his parents found in this country."[9][10]
In 1929, Balaban married Tillie Urkov; they had three children, film producer and directorBurt Balaban (predeceased in 1965), actress and authorJudith R. Balaban (who was married and divorced fromJay Kanter,Anthony Franciosa, andDon Quine) and American jazztubist andsousaphonistLeonard "Red" Balaban.[5] Balaban died, aged 83, on March 7, 1971, with funeral services held at Westchester Jewish Center,Mamaroneck, New York.[5]
Balaban continued as president ofParamount Pictures until 1964.[11] He then became chairman until the 1966 takeover by Gulf and Western.The Balaban and Katz trademark is the property of the Balaban and Katz Historical Foundation. He was the uncle of actorBob Balaban.
Balban appears in the season 2 episode "Hollywoodland" of the NBC seriesTimeless, portrayed by Josh Randall.
Barney Balaban (portrayed byRichard Portnow) was also a featured character in the movieHitchcock, aboutAlfred Hitchcock and his struggle to getPsycho made.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
