B. P. Schulberg
B.P. Schulberg (January 19, 1892 - February 25, 1957) was a pioneer film producer and movie studio executive.
Born Percival Schulberg in Bridgeport, Connecticut, he took the name Benjamin from the boy in front of him when registering for school to avoid mockery for his British name. Schulberg, who started as a publicity manager at Famous Players-Lasky, but in the aftermath of the power struggle around the formation of United Artists ended up on the losing side and lost his job [1].
In 1919, at age 27, he founded Preferred Pictures and built it around "American Beauty", actress Katherine MacDonald. In 1923, his old school-mate and associate Jack Bachman, convinced him to offer the New York starlet, 18 yrs Clara Bow, a three month trial contract [2]. Within days of her arrival she was made part of the studio permanent stock [3].
On October 21, 1925, Schulberg filled Preferred Pictures for bankruptcy, with debts at $820,774 and assets $1,420 [4]. Three days later it was announced that Schulberg would join with Adolph Zukor and became associate producer of Paramount Pictures, bringing his organization, including Bow [5].
In an era when the film industry was filled with conservative studio executives, B.P. Schulberg was a "New Deal" liberal, described by Moving Pictures magazine as "a political liberal in the reactionary world of Mayer and Hearst." His wife Adeline Jaffe-Schulberg founded a talent agency taken over by her brother, producer/talent agent Sam Jaffe. She spent little time with Hollywood society women, instead working for charities that aided the poor and promoting socialism. She subsequently had a literary agency in New York. They were the parents of renowned novelist and screenwriter, Budd Schulberg, producer Stuart Schulberg, and writer Sonya Schulberg O'Sullivan.
From 1934 Schulberg not longer upheld his former stature at Paramount and returned to independent film-making. From 1937 Paramount stopped distributing his films and he remained out of the business until 1940 when he began producing for Columbia Pictures. He produced six films for Columbia in three years until he retired in 1943. 1950 he unsuccessfully offered his services in the film trade papers [6].
B.P. Schulberg died at his home in Key Biscayne, Florida in 1957.
For his contribution to the motion picture industry, B.P. Schulberg has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 Vine Street.
Selected filmography
- Meet Nero Wolfe (1936)
- She Couldn't Take It (1935)
- Little Miss Marker (1934)
- Thirty Day Princess (1934)
- Three-Cornered Moon (1933)
- Red Hair (1928)
- Underworld (1927)
- Special Delivery (1927)
- The Eagle of the Sea (1926)
- Mantrap (1926)
- The Plastic Age (1925)
- White Man (1924)
- The Woman Conquers (1922)
References
- ^ Moving Pictures, Budd Schulberg, p.100, 1981, Allison & Busby, London UK, ISBN 0-7490-0127-5
- ^ "My life, by Clara Bow". Told to and edited by Adela Rogers St. Johns. Published by Photoplay Magazine in February, March and April 1928
- ^ Morning Avalanche, August 5th 1923
- ^ NYT, October 22, 1925
- ^ Associated Press news-wire, October 24, 1925
- ^ Indiana Evening Gazette, p6, January 21, 1950