Dore Schary facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dore Schary
Schary in 1956
Born	Isadore Schary (1905-08-31)August 31, 1905 Newark, New Jersey, US
Died	July 7, 1980(1980-07-07) (aged 74) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Screenwriter, playwright, film director, studio executive
Spouse(s)	Miriam Svet ​ (m. 1932)​
Children	3, including Jill Schary Robinson
Relatives	Jeremy Zimmer (grandson)

Isadore "Dore" Schary (born August 31, 1905 – died July 7, 1980) was a very important person in American entertainment. He wrote plays, directed movies, and produced many films and stage shows. He even became the boss of a huge movie studio called Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1951. He also directed a movie called Act One, which was about his friend, the writer Moss Hart.

Dore Schary's Early Life

Schary was born into a Jewish family in Newark, New Jersey. His father ran a catering business. Dore went to Central High School for a year but left to work. He later returned to school and finished three years of work in just one year, graduating in 1923.

After school, Schary worked as a journalist. He also helped with public relations for a famous explorer, Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd. He was an assistant drama coach at a youth center in Newark, where he worked with Moss Hart.

Dore Schary's Career in Entertainment

Starting in Theatre

Dore Schary began his career as an actor and writer in theatre. In 1927, he had a small role in a play on Broadway. Later, he worked with Moss Hart at a summer resort. There, they wrote and put on many short plays and comedy skits.

Schary also acted on Broadway in a play called The Last Mile with famous actor Spencer Tracy. A film producer named Walter Wanger read a play Schary wrote. Wanger was so impressed that he hired Schary to write for films, paying him $100 a week. Schary moved to Hollywood, but his first film writing job didn't last long.

Early Days in Hollywood Films

Schary started writing for movies in the early 1930s. Some of his first films included Fury of the Jungle (1933) and Fog (1933). He worked for different studios like Universal and Warner Bros. He wrote for many films, sometimes without getting full credit.

He also worked on films like Murder in the Clouds (1934) and Red Hot Tires (1935). He even had a short contract with MGM in 1936.

Working at MGM

Schary's career really took off when he worked on two films starring Spencer Tracy at MGM: Big City (1937) and Boys Town (1938). He was nominated for an Academy Award for Boys Town and won for Best Story.

He continued to write for MGM, including Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940) and two films about the inventor Thomas Edison: Young Tom Edison (1940) and Edison, the Man (1940).

Becoming a Producer at MGM

MGM then promoted Schary to produce their "B" pictures. These were usually lower-budget films. His first film as a producer was Joe Smith, American (1942), which was a big success. He also produced Kid Glove Killer (1942), which was the first film directed by Fred Zinnemann.

Schary had more hits, like Journey for Margaret (1942), which made Margaret O'Brien a star. Bataan (1943) earned over a million dollars in profit. Lassie Come Home (1943), starring Roddy McDowall and Elizabeth Taylor, made over two million dollars.

Working for David O. Selznick

Schary then took a job with David O. Selznick's company, Vanguard Films. He became the head of production there. He produced several successful films, including I'll Be Seeing You (1944) and The Spiral Staircase (1946).

Other popular films he produced were The Farmer's Daughter (1947) with Loretta Young, and The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) with Cary Grant and Shirley Temple. All these films were liked by critics and made good money.

Leading Production at RKO

Because his Vanguard films were released through RKO, RKO offered Schary a job as their head of production. He signed a five-year deal in January 1947.

Schary personally produced Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), which was a big hit. He also strongly supported Crossfire (1947), another major success for the studio. He gave Nicholas Ray and Joseph Losey their first chances to direct films.

However, RKO was taken over by Howard Hughes, a very different kind of boss. Hughes and Schary often disagreed, especially about a film Schary wanted to make called Battleground. Schary decided to leave RKO in July 1948. Soon after, he accepted a job offer from Louis B. Mayer at MGM.

Becoming Head of Production at MGM (Again)

MGM was having a tough time after World War II. In 1947, they lost money for the first time ever. The movie industry faced new challenges, like the rise of television. MGM's main company decided that Schary might be able to fix things. Schary became the vice president in charge of production in July 1948.

Schary and the studio founder, Louis B. Mayer, had very different ideas. Mayer liked big, cheerful movies for families. Schary preferred films that made people think, often called "message pictures." Schary believed films should "educate and inform as they entertain."

Schary's time at MGM started well. Battleground (1949) was MGM's most profitable film that year. Schary also got praise for films he personally produced, like The Next Voice You Hear... (1950).

Mayer and Schary's disagreements grew, especially over the film The Red Badge of Courage (1951). Mayer told the head of Loews (MGM's parent company) that Schary should be fired. But Loews supported Schary, so Mayer resigned. In July 1951, Schary took full control of production at MGM.

MGM After Mayer

Some of the films Schary personally produced after Mayer left lost money, like Washington Story (1952). However, other films like Take the High Ground! (1953) and Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) did well. Schary also wrote and produced a documentary film, The Battle of Gettysburg (1955), which earned him two Oscar nominations.

Under Schary, MGM also approved films like Blackboard Jungle (1955), The Teahouse of the August Moon, and Don't Go Near the Water. These all became big hits.

Leaving MGM

In his last year at MGM, Schary personally produced three films that lost money. MGM lost money in 1956, and Schary was fired from his high-paying job. He later said he was fired because of his political activities. He remained a consultant for MGM until 1968.

Return to Broadway and Later Films

After leaving MGM, Schary got the rights to tell the story of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He wrote and produced the Broadway play Sunrise at Campobello (1958–59). The play won five Tony Awards and ran for a long time.

Schary also returned to Hollywood to write and produce the film Lonelyhearts (1958). He had another Broadway hit as a producer and director with the comedy A Majority of One (1959–60). This show also ran for many performances.

Schary wrote and produced the film version of Sunrise at Campobello in 1960. He also had a huge hit on Broadway producing and directing the musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1960).

Schary made his first and only movie as a director with Act One (1963). He also wrote and produced it. The film was not a success.

In his later career, Schary continued to write, produce, and direct plays on Broadway. He wrote his memoirs, Heyday, which came out shortly before he passed away. He once said, "I've always had an edge and the edge is that I'm a writer. No matter what happens I can write. And I'm tough."

Dore Schary's Political Views

Dore Schary was a strong supporter of democratic ideas. He was one of the studio leaders who created the 1947 Waldorf Statement. However, he later became a vocal opponent of the House Un-American Activities Committee's investigations, which tried to find communists in Hollywood.

In 1948, the Anti-Defamation League honored him for his "distinguished contributions toward the enrichment of America's democratic legacy." He served as the National Chairman of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith from 1963 to 1969. He was also appointed by Mayor John Lindsay to be the New York City Commissioner for Cultural Affairs.

Dore Schary's Personal Life

Dore Schary married Miriam Svet, a pianist and painter, on March 5, 1932. They had three children: Jill, Joy, and Jeb. Jill Schary Robinson became a novelist. Miriam and Dore Schary had seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Dore Schary passed away in 1980 at the age of 74. He was buried in the Hebrew Cemetery in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Miriam Svet Schary died in 1986 and was buried next to him.

Dore Schary's Legacy

To honor Dore Schary's memory, the Anti-Defamation League created the Dore Schary Awards in 1982. These awards recognize excellent student films and videos that deal with themes related to the League's mission of fighting prejudice and promoting understanding.

Dore Schary's Film Work

As a Screenwriter

As Head of MGM's "B" Unit

Films Produced for David O. Selznick

Films Supervised as Head of RKO

Films Personally Produced as Head of MGM

Films Supervised as Head of MGM

Films After MGM

Dore Schary's Theatre Work