George P. Skouras(1893-1964)
- Producer
George P. Skouras was born on 23 April, 1893, at Skourahorian, Greece,
the son of a local sheepherder. Skouras and his brother,
Spyros P. Skouras, came to America
with the help of their older brother,
[error]. In 1912 the three
brothers pooled the money they had saved as restaurant workers 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 Spyros 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 older brother Spyros were made officers in the company. Charles Skouras went on to become president of National Theaters Inc. Skouras left Warner's in 1931 to operate his own independent theater chain. He went on to be president of Skouras Theaters Inc., United Artist Theaters and Magna Pictures Corporation.
He died after a long illness on 16 March, 1964, at his residence at the Sherry-Netherlands Hotel in New York City. He was survived by his wife Julia and a daughter.
Skouras, along with his brother Spyros 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 older brother Spyros were made officers in the company. Charles Skouras went on to become president of National Theaters Inc. Skouras left Warner's in 1931 to operate his own independent theater chain. He went on to be president of Skouras Theaters Inc., United Artist Theaters and Magna Pictures Corporation.
He died after a long illness on 16 March, 1964, at his residence at the Sherry-Netherlands Hotel in New York City. He was survived by his wife Julia and a daughter.