Cadence Industries Corporation, formerly known as Perfect Film & Chemical Corporation, was an American
conglomerate owned by
Martin S. Ackerman. From 1968 through 1986, Cadence Industries was the parent company of
Marvel Comics Group (formerly known as
Magazine Management
Magazine Management Co., Inc. was an American publishing company lasting from at least 1947 to the early 1970s, known for men's-adventure magazines, risque men's magazines, humor, romance, puzzle, celebrity/film and other types of magazines, and ...
).
History
Perfect Film
Perfect Film & Chemical Corporation (Perfect Film) was formed in 1962 by
Martin S. Ackerman from parts of his first four acquisitions:
United Whelan Corporation, Hudson National, Perfect Photos, and Equality Plastics Inc. Hudson was a mail-order pharmaceuticals firm,
[ and Equality Plastics, a consumer-products distributor.] Perfect Film sold off Whelan drugstores and the Pathé motion picture laboratory.[
In early 1968, Perfect Film purchased ]Popular Library
Popular Library was a New York paperback book company established in 1942 by Leo Margulies and Ned Pines, who at the time were major pulp magazine and newspaper publishers. The company's logo of a pine tree was a tribute to Pines, and another ...
, a paperback book company.[ In 1968, Perfect Film loaned $5 million to ]Curtis Publishing Company
The Curtis Publishing Company, founded in 1891 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, became one of the largest and most influential publishers in the United States during the early 20th century. The company's publications included the ''Ladies' Home Jour ...
, publisher of the ''Saturday Evening Post
''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...
'', at the request of Curtis' primary loan holder, First National Bank of Boston
BankBoston was a bank based in Boston, Massachusetts, which was created by the 1996 merger of Bank of Boston and BayBank. One of its predecessor banks started in 1784, but the merged BankBoston was short-lived, being acquired by Fleet Bank in 199 ...
.[ In June and July 1968, Perfect Film sold ]US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
40 million worth of securities, more than double the company's long-term debt. Later that year, it bought out publisher Martin Goodman — owner of Magazine Management Company
Magazine Management Co., Inc. was an American publishing company lasting from at least 1947 to the early 1970s, known for men's-adventure magazines, risque men's magazines, humor magazine, humor, Romance novel, romance, puzzle, celebrity/film and ...
, the parent of Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
and other ventures — and made Magazine Management the direct subsidiary. It placed its other corporations as subsidiaries of that. Also in 1968, Perfect Film purchased the Desilu Studios
The Culver Studios is a movie studio in Culver City, California. Originally created by silent movie pioneer Thomas H. Ince, classics from Hollywood's Golden Age were filmed there. It is currently owned by Hackman Capital Partners, which completely ...
-Culver City complex and Plume & Atwood
Plume or plumes may refer to:
Science
* Plume (feather), a prominent bird feather
* Plume (fluid dynamics), a column consisting of one fluid moving through another fluid
* Eruption plume, a column of volcanic ash and gas emitted into the atmosp ...
.
In March 1969, Perfect Film and Commonwealth United Corporation had tentatively agreed to a merger of Commonwealth and Plume & Atwood. Despite attempts to revive the ''Saturday Evening Post
''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...
'' 's circulation, and with the lack of a purchaser, Curtis Publishing shut the magazine down in 1969. Perfect Film purchased Curtis Circulation Company that same year from Curtis Publishing.[ Also in 1969, OSF Industries purchased the ]Desilu Studios
The Culver Studios is a movie studio in Culver City, California. Originally created by silent movie pioneer Thomas H. Ince, classics from Hollywood's Golden Age were filmed there. It is currently owned by Hackman Capital Partners, which completely ...
in Culver City
Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most ...
from the corporation, becoming The Culver City Studios the following year.[ Ackerman left Perfect Film In 1969.]
Perfect Film sold Popular Library in 1970 to Fawcett Publications
Fawcett Publications was an American publishing company founded in 1919 in Robbinsdale, Minnesota by Wilford Hamilton "Captain Billy" Fawcett (1885–1940).
It kicked off with the publication of the bawdy humor magazine ''Captain Billy's Whiz B ...
In July 1970, Perfect Film agreed to sell its 50.5% ownership in Plume Atwood Industries to Cinerama
Cinerama is a widescreen process that originally projected images simultaneously from three synchronized 35mm projectors onto a huge, deeply curved screen, subtending 146° of arc. The trademarked process was marketed by the Cinerama corporati ...
.
Cadence Industries
Under president and CEO Sheldon Feinberg Sheldon may refer to:
* Sheldon (name), a given name and a surname, and a list of people with the name
Places Australia
* Sheldon, Queensland
* Sheldon Forest, New South Wales
United Kingdom
* Sheldon, Derbyshire, England
* Sheldon, Devon, Englan ...
, the Company renamed itself Cadence Industries Corporation in 1970. In 1981, Cadence's Hudson Pharmaceutical Corporation hired Venet Advertising Venet is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernar Venet (born 1941), French artist
* Nick Venet (1936–1998), American record producer
*Philippe Venet (1929–2021), French fashion designer
See also
*Veneti (disambiguation)
V ...
to advertise the company's Hudson Vitamins unit, makers of Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
chewable vitamins.
Mario Gabelli
Mario Joseph Gabelli (born June 19, 1942) is an American stock investor, investment advisor, and financial analyst. He is the founder, chairman, and Chief executive officer, CEO of GAMCO Investors, Gabelli Asset Management Company Investors (Gam ...
had invested in Cadence as he and his investing firm specialized in investing in potential takeover targets. In 1983, Cadence's management, including Marvel President Jim Galton
James E. Galton (; November 1, 1924 June 12, 2017) was an American business executive who was the president of Marvel Entertainment Group.
Life
Galton grew up on Long Island in the 1930s. He attended Antioch College with a work study program ...
, made an offer for the company's share in order to take the company private. Gabelli considered the offer low and instead put the share up for sale on the open market. Cadence executives sued Gabelli over that attempted share sale, claiming the sale was an attempt to take control. When Cadence Industries was liquidated in 1986, it sold Marvel Entertainment Group
Marvel Entertainment, LLC (formerly Marvel Enterprises) is an American entertainment company founded in June 1998 and based in New York City, New York, formed by the merger of Marvel Entertainment Group and Toy Biz. The company is a wholly own ...
to New World Pictures
New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 197 ...
[ while Curtis Circulation was sold to Joseph M. Walsh and ]Hachette Distribution Services
Hachette Distribution Services is the distribution arm of French media group Hachette. In Canada and the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a count ...
.
Units
*Curtis Publishing Company
The Curtis Publishing Company, founded in 1891 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, became one of the largest and most influential publishers in the United States during the early 20th century. The company's publications included the ''Ladies' Home Jour ...
(control) (1968–1969)
** Curtis Circulation Company (1968–1986)[
*]Data Systems for Health
In the pursuit of knowledge, data (; ) is a collection of discrete Value_(semiotics), values that convey information, describing quantity, qualitative property, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of sy ...
[
*Hudson Pharmaceutical Corporation
**Hudson Vitamins][
*]Magazine Management
Magazine Management Co., Inc. was an American publishing company lasting from at least 1947 to the early 1970s, known for men's-adventure magazines, risque men's magazines, humor, romance, puzzle, celebrity/film and other types of magazines, and ...
(1968–1973)/ Marvel Comics Group (1973–1986)/Marvel Entertainment Group
Marvel Entertainment, LLC (formerly Marvel Enterprises) is an American entertainment company founded in June 1998 and based in New York City, New York, formed by the merger of Marvel Entertainment Group and Toy Biz. The company is a wholly own ...
(1986)
**Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
[
**]Marvel Productions
New World Animation Ltd., formerly known as Marvel Productions, was the television and film studio subsidiary of the Marvel Entertainment Group, based in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It later became a subsidiary of ...
*Perfect Subscription Companies
Perfect commonly refers to:
* Perfection, completeness, excellence
* Perfect (grammar), a grammatical category in some languages
Perfect may also refer to:
Film
* Perfect (1985 film), ''Perfect'' (1985 film), a romantic drama
* Perfect (2018 f ...
[
*]Plume & Atwood
Plume or plumes may refer to:
Science
* Plume (feather), a prominent bird feather
* Plume (fluid dynamics), a column consisting of one fluid moving through another fluid
* Eruption plume, a column of volcanic ash and gas emitted into the atmosp ...
[
*]Popular Library
Popular Library was a New York paperback book company established in 1942 by Leo Margulies and Ned Pines, who at the time were major pulp magazine and newspaper publishers. The company's logo of a pine tree was a tribute to Pines, and another ...
(1968–1970)[
* US Pencil and Stationery Company][
]
References
{{Reflist, 30em
1962 establishments in New Jersey
1986 disestablishments in New Jersey
American companies established in 1962
American companies disestablished in 1986
Caldwell, New Jersey
Companies based in Essex County, New Jersey
Companies disestablished in 1986
Conglomerate companies established in 1962
Conglomerate companies disestablished in 1986
Conglomerate companies of the United States
Defunct companies based in New Jersey