Word: zanucks
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...only son of Darryl F. Zanuck, the last of Hollywood's legendary moviemakers, Richard Darryl Zanuck had a compulsion to succeed in his father's business. Short and intense, he was once described by a tennis partner as the sort of player "who gives you the feeling that he'd like nothing better than to smash the ball between your eyes." Just 17 months ago, young Zanuck achieved his ambition at 20th Century-Fox, the studio his father helped to found in 1933. After a career as a producer (Compulsion, The Chapman Report) and later 20th Century...
Last week, in a family drama, Richard Zanuck faced his white-haired and stern-faced father across a boardroom table at 20th Century-Fox's headquarters in Manhattan. A special committee appointed by the directors had recommended that top management be changed. Zanuck Sr., who is now 68 and chairman of the board, was saved the possible embarrassment of voting against his son. The meeting ended with Zanuck Jr.'s resignation. And Darryl Zanuck, who used to make and break stars, carve up bankers for breakfast, and once reputedly snapped at an assistant...
Storm Over Myra. What had gone wrong? Father and son had apparently had a falling out on a number of matters. Darryl Zanuck favored shutting down the company's costly Hollywood studios and producing movies more cheaply abroad; Richard Zanuck wanted to keep the studios going, at least until current productions were finished. Besides their business disagreements, Richard Zanuck had been impolite enough not to find film jobs for his father's friend, Starlet Genevieve Gilles...
...Besides, Zanuck Jr. had proved to be no more than competent on the job. At a time when the industry is beset by changing public tastes, mere competence is not enough. The young president had his share of successes (Butch Cassidy, M*A*S*H, Patton). But he had his share of bombs too (Star!, Ché!, Dr. Dolittle). Most recently-some say at his father's insistence-he sank $23 million into Tora! Tora! Tora!, which has an uncertain financial future. He also raised a storm of public indignation by backing pop porn flicks, notably Myra Breckinridge, which...
Twentieth Century Fox probably decided to finance the film to the tune of $8 million because of the burgeoning black film audience (and audience which rarely has the opportunity to see the creations of black directors). However, Richard Zanuck might also have realized that in its essential "past-ness," the play is a suitable vehicle for white exorcism. Fox may thus have a box-office winner every bit as salable as last spring's fence-straddler, Patton...