Variety (Sep 1927)

IHarcus I HOW business is prostialed, in sackcloth and ashes. And well might it be. A* it kneels betide the bier of Mar- cus Loew it mourns its most staggering and most irreplaceable loss in history. Marcus Loew was tlie outstanding individual figure of the amusement industries of all linjes—substantially, senti- mentally, financially and constructively. Unique in the annals of all trades, and. strangest of all. In tlie lieclic competition of theatricals, for once tlie biggest was the best beloved. He died at 57. He died not because lie was old. worn out or worked out. He died because he was honest—honest to an almost fanatical fidelity to others. One of his best friends (and on Broadway) said: "He wai burned out with morrving for his sloclcholders, AoMt who'had invested in his enterprises, because of iheir faith in him." That same friend had warned him when he first considered the colossal financing of Loew's Enterprises into Loew's, Inc., that it would take 10 years from his life. Marcus Loew replied that if it would help him to justify die trust others had placed in him, he would willingly give the 10 years. And so he did. Marcus Loew's life was a sermon in practical idealism such as the records of ages scarcely can parallel. The great conqueror of Droadtiay, the theatre realm, the motion picture world, the vaudeville empire; the muUi-millionaire imracle showman, the Wall Street giant, the trans-continental and trans- oceanic vnelder and possessor of pover that would make many a crowned king enoy, mas a gentle, k'tn^ly, scrupulously honorable, soft-spoken, soft- hevUd Kttle-big man who built and lived and died for unselfish and altruistic service. . The greatest friend the actor ever had, he stood as th<rir Gibraltar be- tween ihem and oppression, degradation and slavery. He protected them against all those instnments direwdljr manipulated to blind and rob and con- fuse them. Every wrong, crooked scheme had to stop when it reached the borders of Marcus Loew'* dommt. He was a square dealer to those inside and those outtide his control. To his stockholders he gave a measure of devoiioa and protection which makes his premature passing almost an act of martyrhuod. Vlien one of the gigantic corner-jugglers of high finance attempted to engineer a pool in Loew's, Inc., stock, through which Marcus Loew might have easily made millions and remained entirely within the law and the accepted ethics of such things, he direatened to fight the man himself for the stockholders—-and the pool never started. No more would he tolerate any pools from insiders. He stood on the sterling principle of legitimate supply and demand. The onl\i Wa\/ he l(ncD> to raise the price of his slock was to build more and better theatres, to make more and finer pictures, to give greater value in shows, to keep down the prices of admission and Increase the oolume of patronage, (p operate on line* of merit, efficiency and decent economy. Marcus Loew, th« Builder Thus Marcus Loew built up a circuit of about 150 theatres, at least 12 5 of them de luxe, super-modern houses of the first grade. He was building 24 new ones at the time of his sudden call from earthly activities. He buih 28 in one year at anodier time, against hardships of tight finance, hostile labor conditions and the many other griefs of war-time. His passion for expansion, creation and construction ran apace with his zeal for die prosperity and contentment of diose %vliose destines had been confided into his firm but tender hands. Marcus Loew was the first to procure theatres on Broadway, the world's great central' avenue for motion pictures^ He rented the old Bijou at 29th street for films when such a venture was regarded as chimerical. He followed with the Majestic on Columbus Circle, the turning point of New York's traf- fic. And on and on he ever fought ahead in the vanguard of die new progress. The hundreds of millions that poured in to cement all these dreams into monumental realitie* came in response to other men's trust in him. And this he realized more as • burden dian as an advantage. He felt that his life bdonged now to diese others, and though the theatre is and must always be a highly speculative business, he regarded the funds as sacredly as might the head of a bank where people deposit their savings for safekeeping. When Loew's dropped to 9J^, its record low, there was one purchaser revealed in that day's sales. He bought 1,000 shares at 10. It was David Warfield, Marcus Loew's bosom friend, companion and partner. With the various business men who combined in the construction of his houses he was equally upright. Refused Any Advantage On one occasion Marcus Loew's law department notified him that a $60,000 engineering contract was so faulty that he was not bound to pay a cent. He asked if the work had been done properly and was told it had. He Otdem) the payment—and in full. On another occasion he walked up to a theatre in die process of build- ing. To his amazement, a crew was at work, though it was late at night and no overtime was provided for. He was further surprised to see die head of the contracting company in personal charge. Loew knew him. but he did not recognize Loew. Hie showman asked him how this unusual procedure had cooe about, and the other told him he had made a wide miscalculation in his bid, was certain to be a heavy loser and dierefore wanted to rush it by all mean* and hold down hit losses. Marcus Loew taid nothing, but next day ordered diat an ettimate be made by an expert on the value of the work. It proved that die bid was far too * low. Mr. Loew ordered a new deal, allowing the man a profit. If that con- tractor read* diis it %vill be his first knowledge of how it came about Marcus Loew always went to great pains to conceal his benefactions. Frank, Open and Trutfiful Marcus Loew never was known to make a false or even doubtful statement. The reporter* on "Variety" who knew him Intimately will all vouch that m all their years of questioning him, Marcus Loew did not once directly or i>farailiall)r mitiafoni than, evtn wImii it micht have been to hi* advatag* He was. witlial. frank and answered ■inquiries fai more oiienly than any other bit; m.m in the trade. 1 le had nothing 1.1 1m, |. , nothing to be ashamed of. He was never known to break a pledge, no matter how high the cost of .keeping it. .\pproachable to a remark- able degree in view of his importance, Kiih lus \ eliJiiu; disposition and his charitable impulses, he committed himself d.uly to expensive, incon\cnient and often embarrassing promises. He made good on diem ail, religiouslv, and often gave them his health and his time as well as his money when he might h.u e been serving his own purposes. Thrill and Romance The story of Marcus Loew is a thrilling and romantic chapter in modern Americana, such as none of his many imaginative scenario writers would dare conceive. Born of poor Jewish parents in the congested quagmires of Manhattan Island, downtown, on 8th street, during the generation of poverty and limited opportunities, he left school at the age of 9 and went to work in a map print- er's shop at 35 cents a day. He peddled newspapers and did odd jobs, and gravitated into the fur business as a salesman. It was diere Marcus Loew met Adolph Zukor, similarly situated, whom he later gave the lifts that made possible his great ascendancy, a factor which Mr. Zukor cheerfully and even tearfully relates. Marcus Loew's start in the theatrical business came with his acquisition of the Cosy Corner, afterwards the RoyaT, Brooklyn, a lO-cent crude house —just like its name sounds. It was destined, however, to be the first link in the greatest chain of theatres the world has ever known. Previously Mr. Loew had some experience with |>enny arcades. Peculiar genius was Marcus L,<>eu. His foresight was uncanny, his judg- ment dazzlin;^ And .soon the world knew, as if by instinct, that this bold pioneer with the vast visions was honest. So, though his financial vicissitudes were many and intricate, he developed to be a wizard at financing, despite his bedrock convictiOM against some of the method* of ptpnwliMi and manipulation. He could always call on the people—his people—his patrons—his friends —his associates. Almost every one who ever shook hands with Marcus Loew is today one of his stockholders—widows, orphans, traffic policemen, ushers, stenographers, neighbors, millionaires, actors, stage hands, bankers, relatives —even rivals—once they came under the benign but commanding influence of this man they had complete faith in. not only his ingenuity but his integrity. Indescribable Modesty His personal modesty was indescribable. He lent his own name to his early institutions and thereafter could not shelve it. because it had become a trade-mark. But the publicity was distasteful. Its only compensation was that in lending his own name to his tremendous interests he felt diat he was adding a further assurance of his own individual responsibilities. When lie became the head of Metro-Goldwyn-Mave'. picture piotluctnf! combine, he~tett his own name off. " am in the background." was one of his favorite sayings. He always insistec^ that he had been "lucky." He was lucky only in finding a generous response in the trust of others for the loyalty he gave. In that they were the lucky ones. Nothing pleased him more than to see others hap|>y, successful; When a competitor produced a fine work, Marcus Loew cheered. He gave richly in tynpadiy whee it chanced otherwise. To the staff of aides who climbed the ladder beside him. Marcu* Loew** unwavering brotherhood is famous. He enriched many of them, and hi* friendship knew no change. They were still his "boys." Some of his attachments are incredibly sweet for this day and age and for his preponderant position and his field. The Schenck ho]/*, Aaron /ones of Clucago, Louis B. Majfer, J. H. Luhut, William Randolph Hearst, Charle* M. Schwab, Dwnd Warfidi, Adolph Zukor, Dave Bernstein, Edward Schiller, one or (aro M-time newu l>apermen and several veteran vaudeville performers wiU so testify today through their tears. Amid the tangles of time and the freaks of fortune, these friendships matured and mellowed. Marcus Loew Wouldn't have traded the affectionate esteem of these hud- dies for all the theatres on earth and all the other mansioru on Long Island. He helped men concretely and he inspired and fascinated them spiritually. His luminant personality, which won on first sight in any circle, grew a thousandfold on those who came in close contact with him, who had the privi- lege of knowing him in his lighter moods, away from the harassing, weariBK and destroying problems of his enormous duties and more enormous con- scientious responsibilities. When he grew ill last winter there was an exodus to California by those of his intimate* not already there, which resembled a pilgrinuige to^tome holy shrine. He was woefully ill on the coast. For weeks he wa« in and out of bed under care of specialists and nurses. When he was finally carried Out on a lawn to get the sun, he was an emaciated and pitiful figure. He promised that he would rest for a year at least, go away—far away somewhere—and he tried. But he could not hold out. His all-possessing aente of responsibil- ity dragged him back. Every day, in all weathers, Marcus l>oew was at his desk. Eagerly, burningly he drove on in his ex.icting and Ijcwildering building operations, producing enterprises, organisation details. His friends implored him to rest, if not retire. He shook his head, smiled that game smile that had seen him through hi* grinding trial* and the more gruelling tribulations of success. And so .M.ircus Loew died, in harness, on the job. "Burned out with D'orrv/nf? for his stockholders, those who had inoeslej in his cnlcrpnsci hcrauie of their faith in him," says his best friend, A filling and noble epitaph for Marcus Loew, He worked for other*, he buUl for other*, he lived for oAer*. he died for others. M ay hi* t r aW t Ug . heavltful semi re st m p e a eo i