Adolph Zukor*
Class of 1953
- Chairman Paramount Pictures Corporation
Of all the lands in the world, this is the only country where the door of opportunity is open to all honest persons.
Adolph Zukor was born to a Jewish family in Ricse, Hungary in 1873. In 1889, at the age of 16, he immigrated to the United States. Arriving with only $40 in his pocket, Zukor soon enrolled in night school to study English and American business methods.
Zukor's first job in a fur store paid only $2 a week. In 1892, he borrowed money on his honest reputation and opened his own fur business, Zukor's Novelty Fur Company. By the time he sold his business, he had 25 employees and a second branch.
In 1903, Zukor entered the movie industry. He and partner Marcus Loew began a chain of penny arcades that featured the first motion pictures. In 1912, he established Famous Players Film Company. Eventually, this studio evolved into Paramount Pictures, and Zukor served as president until 1936.
Zukor revolutionized the film industry by organizing production, distribution, and exhibition within a single company. After serving as an accomplished director and producer, Zukor retired in 1959 and became Paramount's chairman emeritus.