Moguls: The Lives and Times of Hollywood Film Pioneers Nicholas and Joseph Schenck

by Michael Benson, Craig Singer Narrated by Stephen Bowlby

Overview

Groundbreaking pioneers of the Hollywood Dream Factory, Joseph and Nicholas Schenck may not have been household names like the Warner brothers or Louis B. Mayer, but they were infinitely more powerful, influential-and ruthless. A pair of Russian immigrants with giant ambitions, the Schencks turned their small nickelodeon business in New York's Bowery into a partnership with Loew's movie theaters and a controlling interest in three major studios: MGM, 20th Century Fox, and United Artists. They painted the silver screen silver, laid the foundations for the all-powerful studio system, and ruled a global movie empire from their Gatsby-sized mansions on the East and West coasts. The Schencks had become moguls.



Their story is the stuff of legends-and their scandals are among the greatest stories Hollywood never told. This riveting, behind-the-scenes account reveals many surprising truths.



From the earliest days of silent films and the swinging era of the Roaring Twenties, through the Golden Age of the studio system and the patriotic call of WWII, to the Red Scare paranoia of the McCarthy years, the history of the Schenck brothers is the story of Hollywood itself-and the enduring power of the American Dream. Moguls is a must-listen for film fans, history buffs, and anyone who loves the movies.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for MOGULS:

“The book you are holding is a whirlwind tale, a roller coaster ride through Hollywood history. Its cast of characters includes names such as Chaplin, Keaton, Valentino, Talmadge and Monroe, lest we forget Hitler and Luciano. It’s got chills, thrills, romance, comedy, intrigue, and danger; it’s equal parts The Last Tycoon and Horatio Alger, except this story is real. Hell, somebody should make a movie out of this.” —From the foreword by Terence Winter, Writer of The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, and The Wolf of Wall Street

Praise for Michael Benson:

“Michael Benson’s nonfiction masterpiece Gangsters vs. Nazis reads like speculative fiction at its very best, even though the incidents the book portrays are very much real…One of the most rivetingly relevant reads I’ve ever encountered, chock-full of real-life heroes and villains who are every bit the match for the best that thriller fiction has to offer.” —Jon Land, The Providence Journal on Gangsters vs Nazis
 
  
“Carmine the Snake, written in a conversational style with street vernacular and sprinkled with Frank Dimatteo’s personal anecdotes and reminiscences, offers another look at the infamous crime boss.” —The Washington Times
  
“The authors give a detailed account of the suspected assassins…don’t shy away from discussing Gallo’s flaws…fans of true crime and mafia stories will appreciate the insider’s look at the figures and neighborhoods that comprised New York mob life in the 20th century.” —Library Journal on Mafia Hit Man

“The President Street Boys is nothing like any other mafia-related book I’ve ever read. I loved this book. I will be reading it again in the future. The level of detail is so high, to me, it requires multiple passes to absorb it all.” —Crimespree Magazine
 
“At times, this book is unsettling. Other times, it's humorous. No matter what part you're reading, it'll remain a tour-de-force.” —Criminal Element on The President Street Boys
  
“This title will please Mafia fans looking for gruesome details.” —Library Journal on Lord High Executioner

“It is a colorful tale. It reads in many places like a mid-20th century Jimmy Cagney movie or Mickey Spillane novel come to life. It occurs in the same settings and the author uses the Runyonesque language of the genre. The mobsters deal out knuckle sandwiches and whack foes on the noggin. At one point Benson urges readers to think of one team as “The Dirty Dozen with some Yiddish thrown in.” —Ricochet on Gangsters vs Nazis

“Told in a colorful, Runyonesque style, the tale is about one of the strangest campaigns of the late 1930s. It shows how the Jewish American community organized to fight the German American Bund and other fascist groups in the United States in the years prior to America’s entry into World War II. To break up Nazi rallies and bust heads, the community enlisted Jewish gangsters, the author claims—not “good guys” protecting the American way. This is a fascinating and entertaining read.” —The Epoch Times on Gangsters vs Nazis

“Benson is a master of true crime.” —Robert Scott

Product Details

BN ID:	2940191510361
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	09/24/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged