Irving Briskin Explained

Irving Briskin
Birth Date:28 February 1903
Birth Place:New York City, U.S.
Death Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation:Film producer
Spouse:Jean Bressler[1]
Children:2
Yearsactive:1931–1945

Irving Briskin (1903–1981), was an American film producer of more than 200 films during the 1930s and 1940s.[2] He was the brother of Samuel J. Briskin[3] and Murray Briskin, both also film producers.[4]

Career

Briskin's film career began in 1923 as an auditor for Banner Productions, in New York City. In 1925, he moved to the Henry Ginsburg Distributing Corp.[5] In 1926 he joined Sterling Pictures.[6] In July 1927, when the studio got rid of their foreign broker system and implemented their own foreign sales, Briskin was put in charge,[7] becoming head of their foreign department.[8] That year he negotiated a major sales agreement with Cinematografica Astrea in Barcelona, Spain for distributing all of Sterling's product in Spain and Portugal, as well as six of its films in Italy. [9] And later that same year he negotiated the sale of all 18 Sterling pictures in Hungary.[10] In August 1928, he was named vice president of Sterling and given control over all of the company's operations. By September 1928, Briskin had his own company, Briskin Pictures Corp., headquartered in New York City.[11]

In April 1931, Briskin became president of the newly formed Meteor Pictures, in New York.[12] [13] The new company had been formed from the former Briskin Distributing Company, which Briskin began in the late 1920s.[14] [15] In 1932 he moved over to Columbia Pictures, where the first film he produced was Fighting for Justice, starring Tim McCoy.[16] He was put in charge of all films starring McCoy, and spearheaded the transition of McCoy from Westerns to other types of films.[17] In 1936, Columbia renewed his contract.[18] Briskin's contract to run his own production unit at Columbia was renewed in 1942,[19] and again for three years in 1944.[20] 1945 saw Briskin become the executive assistant to Harry Cohn at Columbia.[21] In 1951, Briskin re-signed a seven-year contract with Columbia, to continue on as vice-president of the studio.[22] [23] In 1952, Briskin announced that he had an signed a deal with Ford Motors for Columbia to produce 39 half-hour films to be shown on television.[24]

In 1956, Briskin began his own production company, Briskin Productions, to release television material through Screen Gems, Columbia's television subsidiary. At the same time, he continued as V.P. at Columbia, and was put in charge of all production at Screen Gems.[25] [26] In doing so, Briskin resigned from his duties as the studio manager for Columbia's film division, to focus on television production.[27] In April 1956, Briskin initiated a series of writing scholarships to encourage young talent. This was the first time in history this had been done. Six schools were to participate, with the first three selected being Fordham University, University of Chicago, and Iowa State University.[28] [29] In May 1946 he hired Mickey Rooney to produce a new series, Calamity Jane, although the show never seems to have been aired.[30] Later in 1956, Briskin negotiated with Sam Cohn for a $1 million budget for television production for Screen Gems.[31] His production produced several series for Screen Gems for the 1957 season, including Casey Jones.[32] Also in 1956, Briskin set up a $2.5 million fund to entice independent producers to create product to be distributed through Screen Gems. The caveat was that the production either had to have a star attached, or be a very "powerful idea". Briskin said, "there are many producers seeking not only financing, but affiliation with an organization which can give their potential programs everything needed from production facilities to distribution and sales."[33]

One of the productions Briskin was in charge of was Playhouse 90, which was broadcast on CBS-TV.[34] By August 1957, Briskin had turned Screen Gems into the leading producer of content for television in Hollywood.[35] One of the projects which Briskin created, but was never released was a television series based on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which he created a pilot for, but the three networks passed on due to it being "too adult for popular appeal".[36] In 1959 Briskin was promoted at Columbia, and left the Screen Gems subsidiary, where he was replaced by William Dozier.[37] In 1962, Briskin resigned from Columbia Pictures. However, he came back as an independent producer late in the year.[38] In November, he joined with Debbie Reynolds and formed Harmon Enterprises. Reynolds was the president, with Briskin serving as vice-president. The company was to shoot on MGM lot.[39] [40]

Personal life

In October 1940, Briskin purchased the Pepper Lane Farm, one of the oldest residences in southern California, dating from the 1850s. The farm was the estate of Alan O. Stearns and was located in Reseda, California, and consisted of seven acres.[41] Briskin sold the estate for $65,000 in 1946 to a non-profit group, Field Photo Homes, Inc., who intended to develop the property into a memorial for the 13 men of the O.S.S.' Field Photo Unit during World War II. The purchase price had been donated by John Ford.[42] The memorial ranch opened in July 1946.[43]

His son, Frederick Briskin, was an assistant director at Columbia,[44] and he also had a daughter, Joyce.[45]

He was elected the head of Temple Israel of Hollywood twice, in 1947 and 1950.[46] [47] In 1950, he served as one of the pallbearers at the funeral of Al Jolson.[48] In June 1955, he suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital.[49] He was also a pall-bearer for Harry Cohn in 1958.[50] Briskin was one of the founding members of the Friar's Club of California.[51]

In 1961, Briskin purchased a 2.5 percent share of the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada for $62,500.[52] In December 1962, Briskin sold his 2.5 percent interest back to hotel corporation, for exactly what he paid for it the year before.[53]

Briskin died on May 29, 1981.[54]

Notes and References

  1. Book: International Motion Picture Almanac . 1936 . . 173 . 25 June 2021 . en.
  2. Web site: Irving Briskin . American Film Institute . September 6, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200906140048/https://catalog.afi.com/Person/73260-Irving-Briskin?sid=08a95558-8cd6-45c8-be29-814e2a8efc66&sr=11.756542&cp=1&pos=0&isMiscCredit=false . September 6, 2020.
  3. News: William Gargan Goes to Warners . Louella O. Parsons . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . September 25, 1934 . 6 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  4. News: The Film Daily . Services Held for Mrs. Briskin . September 17, 1947 . 7 . September 8, 2020.
  5. News: The Film Daily . Who's Who in Hollywood . May 27, 1938 . 7 . September 7, 2020.
  6. News: The Film Daily . Irving J. Briskin Named Vice President . August 24, 1928 . 4 . September 7, 2020.
  7. News: The Film Daily . Sterling Eliminates Foreign Broker System . July 10, 1927 . 4 . September 7, 2020.
  8. News: The Film Daily . Briskin Goes to Montreal . July 21, 1927 . 6 . September 7, 2020.
  9. News: The Film Daily . Sterling Makes Foreign Sales . September 9, 1927 . 2 . September 7, 2020.
  10. News: The Film Daily . Sterling Sells 18 in Hungary . October 26, 1927 . September 7, 2020.
  11. News: The Film Daily . Mata Hari advertisement . September 18, 1928 . 6 . September 7, 2020.
  12. News: The Film Daily . Two Series of Features Planned by Meteor Corp. . April 28, 1931 . 2 . September 7, 2020.
  13. News: Sally M'Gowan Sues Film Director for Heart Balm . Los Angeles Evening Express . July 27, 1931 . 3 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  14. News: The Film Daily . The Book of Books . February 10, 1929 . 9 . September 7, 2020.
  15. News: The Film Daily . New Incorporations . May 7, 1931 . 2 . September 7, 2020.
  16. Web site: Fighting for Justice . American Film Institute . September 7, 2020.
  17. News: Amusements . Warren Times Mirror . August 10, 1934 . 2 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  18. News: The Film Daily . Irving Briskin Renews . February 17, 1936 . 2 . September 7, 2020.
  19. News: The Film Daily . Col. Renews Briskin Pact . June 16, 1942 . 5 . September 8, 2020.
  20. News: The Film Daily . I. Briskin gets new Col. Pact . March 8, 1944 . 10 . September 8, 2020.
  21. News: The Film Daily . Riding Herd on the Hollywood News Range . August 28, 1945 . 7 . September 8, 2020.
  22. News: Amusements . The Brownsville Herald . April 8, 1951 . 25 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  23. News: Amusements . The Los Angeles Times . January 5, 1954 . 28 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  24. News: Hollywood . Gene Hunsaker . The Blizzard (Oil City, Pennsylvania) . July 2, 1952 . 6 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  25. June 11, 1956 . Briskin to Form Company . Broadcasting. 52.
  26. News: Grants Offered by Screen Gems . The Pomona Progress-Bulletin . April 17, 1956 . 16 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  27. News: Brando Eyed For Role as 1st Envoy to Japan . Louella O. Parsons . The San Francisco Examiner . June 4, 1956 . 27 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  28. News: Scholarships To Go To Video Writers . The Amarillo Globe-Times . April 26, 1956 . 23 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  29. News: KING Launches Two New Shows . The Vancouver Sun . April 23, 1956 . 25 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  30. News: Rooney Becomes TV Producer . The Miami Herald . May 27, 1956 . 10 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  31. News: Big Budget for Screen Gems Set . Valley Times . July 4, 1956 . 5 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  32. News: Telefilm Firm Offers Cash To Producers . The Atlanta Constitution . October 23, 1956 . 14 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  33. News: Finance Fund Of $2,500,000 For TV Ideas . The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec) . October 27, 1956 . 32 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  34. News: Army of Production Workers . Tampa Bay Times . April 14, 1957 . 179 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  35. News: On The Air . Erskine Johnson . The Sandusky Register . August 19, 1957 . 16 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  36. News: Everybody's Getting Into Act . Mike Connolly . The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, California) . July 4, 1959 . 4 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  37. News: William Dozier Quits CBS-TV . Los Angeles Times . September 25, 1959 . 28 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  38. News: Briskin To Make Movie From Unpublished Novel . The Record (Hackensack, New Jersey) . October 2, 1962 . 44 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  39. News: Natalie Wood Wants To Do Comedy Next . The Indianapolis Star . November 12, 1962 . 12 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  40. News: Command Performance . Louella Parsons . The San Francisco Examiner . October 5, 1963 . 13 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  41. News: Motion Picture Man Buys Historic Estate . Los Angeles Times . October 20, 1940 . 71 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  42. News: Notable Farm Transferred to Renowned Wartime Unit . Los Angeles Times . January 20, 1946 . 13 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  43. News: Memorial to O.S.S. Dead Opens in Reseda . Valley Times . July 8, 1946 . 2 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  44. News: Los Angeles City Briefs . Los Angeles Times . March 12, 1947 . 7 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  45. News: 'Baby Doctor' Scheduled to Be Next Jerry Lewis Production . The Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) . May 23, 1957 . 22 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  46. News: Ground Broken in Hollywood for Synagogue . Los Angeles Times . May 19, 1947 . 5 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  47. News: Temple Group Will Install Film Official . Los Angeles Times . January 21, 1950 . 17 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  48. News: Thousand Bid Adieu to Al Jolson at Hollywood Funeral . Los Angeles Times . October 27, 1950 . 3 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  49. News: Little Old New York . New York Daily News . Ed Sullivan . June 13, 1955 . 42 . Newspapers.com. September 7, 2020.
  50. News: Film Leaders Gather For Harry Cohn Rites . The Philadelphia Inquirer . March 2, 1958 . 22 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  51. News: Briskin Honored . Valley Times (North Hollywood, California) . January 30, 1961 . 44 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  52. News: Las Vegas Licenses to Two . The Kansas City Times . July 20, 1961 . 2 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  53. News: Gaming Commission Approves New License Bids . Reno Gazette-Journal . December 18, 1962 . 17 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.
  54. News: Obituaries: Irving Briskin . The Muscatine Journal (Muscatine, Iowa). July 1, 1981 . 70 . Newspapers.com. September 8, 2020.

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