Moguls - by Michael Benson & Craig Singer (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The sensational, lurid, and wickedly entertaining true story of the brothers who invented Hollywood to become the godfathers of cinema - movie moguls Nicholas and Joseph Schenck - studded with glamorous stars, scandals, mobsters, murders, and one legendary blond bombshell. . .

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 the suprising truth about:

• The union-busting mob deal that landed Joe Schenck in federal prison for four years--on tax evasion charges including deductions for a menage a trois.
• The cutthroat and merciless political maneuvering that defined the Hollywood studio heads.
• The lurid murder charges against silent film star "Fatty" Arbuckle--whose legal defense was paid for by Joe Schenck.
• Joe's secret infatuation with Marilyn Monroe, even though Marilyn's mother named her Norma after Joe's wife!
• The brothers' ingenious creation of the Academy of Motion Pictures and the Oscars--and indomitable control over the entire film industry.

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 endurng power of the American Dream. Moguls is a must-read for film fans, history buffs, and anyone who loves the movies.

Review Quotes

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

"Crime writer Benson (Gangsters vs. Nazis) and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Singer profile the Russian Jewish immigrant brothers Joseph Schenck (1876-1961) and Nicholas Schenck (1880-1969), who were executives in the studio system at MGM, 20th Century Fox, and United Artists. They worked in entertainment for much of their lives, beginning as nickelodeon and vaudeville entrepreneurs in New York; later, Nicholas remained on the East Coast to manage the Loew's theater enterprise (which had acquired MGM) while Joseph worked in California as a producer. Even with their congruent careers, the brothers' personalities and personal lives diverged. Joseph wed Norma Talmadge (becoming Buster Keaton's brother-in-law), paid Fatty Arbuckle's legal fees during a scandal, romped through successive romances, helped launch the career of Marilyn Monroe, and was convicted of tax evasion. Meanwhile, his lower-profile brother raised a family. The book also shows how the Schencks helped establish the Academy Awards, fought Nazi designs on and mob extortion of the studios, waffled during the Red Scare, and remained skeptical of television despite their innovative early careers. This illuminating book sheds light on brothers at least as influential as the Warners, but lesser known in cinematic popular culture." --Library Journal

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

About the Author

Michael Benson is the acclaimed author of nonfiction history and crime books, including Gangsters vs Nazis, Hollywood vs Nazis, Evil Season, Betrayal in Blood, and Moguls, co-authored with Craig Singer. He is also one of America's most accomplished and popular Mafia experts, having co-authored with numerous books on the subject, including Carmine the Snake, Mafia Hit Man, Lord High Executioner, Red Hook, and Carlo Gambino with Frank DiMatteo and Mafia Secrets with Gianni Russo. He is a regular commentator, appearing on numerous radio and television shows such as On the Case with Paula Zahn and Deadly Sins on ID: Investigation Discovery channel. A recipient of the Academy of American Poets Award, he can be found on Facebook @authorMichaelBenson.

Craig Singer is an Emmy-nominated director, producer, writer and filmmaker. A Former Disney executive, he directed and produced the films A Good Night to Die (2003), Dark Ride (2006), Perkins' 14 (2009) and Animal Room (1995). His latest film, 6:45, earned multiple awards, including Best Feature, Paris Independent Film Festival; Best Feature, Hollywood on the Tiber Film Awards; Best Horror Feature, Hong Kong Indie Film Festival; and Best Director, Catalina Film Festival. He was nominated for an Emmy in the interactive fiction category in 2008 and his series have been honored many times by the Telly's and Webby's. He lives in New Jersey and Moguls is his first book.