Harry Cohn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harry Cohn
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Cohn c. 1938
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| Born | July 23, 1891 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | February 27, 1958 (aged 66) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
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| Resting place | Hollywood Forever Cemetery |
| Occupation | Film producer and president of Columbia Pictures Corporation |
| Years active | 1919–1958 |
| Spouse(s) |
Rose Barker
(m. 1923; div. 1941)Joan Perry
(m. 1941) |
| Relatives | Jack Cohn (brother) Leonore Annenberg (niece) |
Harry Cohn (born July 23, 1891 – died February 27, 1958) was a very important person in early Hollywood. He helped start and lead a famous movie company called Columbia Pictures. He was also in charge of making many of their films.
Contents
Harry Cohn's Early Life and Career
Harry Cohn was born in New York City in 1891. His family was from Germany and Russia. Before movies, he even performed in a vaudeville show with Harry Ruby.
He started working in the film industry at a company called Independent Moving Pictures. This company later became part of Universal Studios. His older brother, Jack Cohn, already worked there. The brothers made their first film together, called Traffic in Souls. Harry Cohn then became the personal assistant to Universal's president, Carl Laemmle.
Starting Columbia Pictures
In 1919, Harry Cohn, his brother Jack, and another person named Joe Brandt started their own film company. It was first called CBC Film Sales Corporation. The letters stood for Cohn, Brandt, and Cohn. But some people joked that it meant "Corned Beef and Cabbage" because their early movies were made on a small budget.
Harry Cohn was in charge of making the movies in Hollywood. His brother Jack handled the money side from New York. The brothers didn't always get along. Eventually, Joe Brandt sold his share of the company to Harry. Harry then became the president, and the company was renamed Columbia Pictures Corporation.
Columbia Pictures' Success
At first, Columbia Pictures was known for making action movies with actors like Jack Holt. The studio was seen as a "Poverty Row" studio. This meant it made low-budget films. But things changed in 1934. Director Frank Capra made a comedy called It Happened One Night. This movie won many Academy Awards. After that, movie theaters that didn't want Columbia's films before started showing them.
Columbia Pictures grew and offered many types of films. They made features, short films, and cartoons. They also released a few big, fancy movies each year. These included Lost Horizon and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. But the company still relied on its popular, lower-cost movies to make money. Under Harry Cohn's leadership, Columbia Pictures always made a profit.
Working with Stars
Harry Cohn didn't try to sign many movie stars to long contracts like other big studios. Instead, he often hired famous actors from other studios for specific movies. This helped bring in audiences who already knew and liked those stars. Some of these actors included Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and Humphrey Bogart.
Columbia also helped its own actors become stars. People like Jean Arthur and Rita Hayworth started in smaller roles at Columbia. Many of Columbia's producers and directors also began in other jobs at the studio.
Harry Cohn's Leadership Style
Harry Cohn was known for being a very strong leader. When he became president of Columbia, he also stayed in charge of making movies. This gave him a lot of power. He valued talent very highly. However, he always made sure his employees knew he was the boss. Some people called him "King Cohn."
It was said that he had special listening devices on the movie sets. He could listen to conversations and even speak through a loudspeaker if he heard something he didn't like.
A Complex Personality
Moe Howard from the Three Stooges said that Cohn could be very charming in social settings. But he was also known to yell and curse at actors and directors in his office. Then, he might greet them kindly at a dinner party later that evening. Some people think Cohn acted like a tough boss on purpose. He might have done this to motivate his employees or to keep control of the studio.
Cohn had some powerful business connections. He also kept a signed photo of Benito Mussolini on his desk for a while. Columbia even made a documentary about Mussolini in 1933.
Loyalty and "B" Pictures
In his own way, Harry Cohn was loyal to certain people and types of films. He remembered how important Jack Holt was when Columbia was just starting. He kept Holt under contract for many years. Cohn also hired the Three Stooges in 1934. He kept them working for Columbia until 1957.
Cohn liked what he called "those lousy little 'B' pictures." These were lower-budget films. He kept making them, along with short comedies and movie serials. Other studios had stopped making these types of films.
However, Cohn was also known for being very demanding. Some say he made Curly Howard of the Three Stooges keep working even after he had minor strokes. This might have made Curly's health worse. Cohn also ended actress Hazel Scott's film career. This happened after she protested about the costumes black women were asked to wear in a film.
Harry Cohn's Family Life
Harry Cohn was married twice. He was married to Rose Barker from 1923 to 1941. Then he married actress Joan Perry in 1941, and they stayed married until he died in 1958.
Many of his family members also worked at Columbia Pictures. His brother Jack was a co-founder. His brother Maxwell produced short films, and Nathan managed the New York office. Harry's nephew, Ralph Cohn, started a company called Screen Gems. Another nephew, Robert, was also an executive at Columbia.
Death
Harry Cohn had heart problems. In December 1957, he had a heart attack while flying. Doctors told him to slow down. In February 1958, he had another heart attack in Phoenix, Arizona, and passed away.
Many people from Hollywood attended his funeral at the Columbia studios. He is buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood.
Harry Cohn in Movies
Harry Cohn's personality has been shown in different movies.
- He was played by Michael Lerner in the 1983 TV movie Rita Hayworth: The Love Goddess.
- Eric Roberts played him in the 2018 film Frank & Ava.
- Characters in movies like All The King's Men (1949), Born Yesterday (1950), and The Godfather (1972) are said to be based on Harry Cohn.
Sources
- Bob Thomas, King Cohn
- Bernard F. Dick, The Merchant Prince of Poverty Row
See also
In Spanish: Harry Cohn para niños
