Spyros P. Skouras

Spyros Panagiotis Skouras was born on 27 September, 1892 at Skourahorian, Greece, the son of a local sheepherder. After initially studying for the priesthood, Skouras, with the help of his older brother, [error], joined his younger brother, George P. Skouras, and traveled to America. While working as a bus boy in St. Louis, Skouras would spend his nights studying English, business practices, accounting and law. In 1912 the three brothers pooled their money and purchased a rundown nickelodeon in a poor neighborhood in St. Louis. After turning the theater around the brothers were able to build on their success and borrow $150,000 to buy and refurbish the old Grand Central Theater in St. Louis. Eventually the Skouras brothers would go on to control 650 theaters spanning coast to coast. Skouras, along with his brother George joined the Army Signal Corps during the First World War. After the war they returned to St. Louis and their theater interests. The Skouras brothers sold their theater franchise in 1928 to Warner Brothers where Skouras and his younger brother George were made officers in the company. Charles Skouras went on to become president of National Theaters Inc. In 1931 Skouras left Warner's to work for Paramount and the following year was lured away to take over Fox Metropolitan Theaters in New York, which was loosing a million dollars a year. He was able save the franchise from bankruptcy and by 1942 was in a position to take over the presidency of 20th Century-Fox. During his tenure as president Skouras is credited with embracing cinemascope technology in an attempt to save the movie industry from the growing competition from television. By early 1960s, mounting losses compounded by the 30 million over-budget production of Cleopatra (1963), led to Skouras being forced out. He remained on as chairman of the board though, retiring in 1969 to devote more time to his shipping line business, Prudential -Grace Lines. Skouras died of a heart at his home in Mamaroneck, NY on 16 August, 1971. He was survived by his wife of 51 years, the former Saroula Bruiglia, two daughters and two sons.