Joseph Richard Vogel (September 7, 1895 – March 1, 1969) was an American executive best known for his stint at
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
, including a reign as president from 1956–63.
Biography
Vogel was born in New York and attended
Townsend Harris High School
Townsend Harris High School at Queens College (THHS) is a public magnet high school for the humanities in the borough of Queens in New York City. Students and alumni often refer to themselves as "Harrisites." Townsend Harris consistently ranks a ...
. He started working part-time as an usher at the
Loew's
Loews Cineplex Entertainment, also known as Loews Incorporated, is an American theater chain operating in North America. From 1924 until 1959, it was also the parent company of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM).
The company was originally cal ...
Palace Theatre in
Brownsville, Brooklyn
Brownsville is a residential neighborhood in eastern Brooklyn in New York City. The neighborhood is generally bordered by Crown Heights to the northwest; Bedford–Stuyvesant and Cypress Hills to the north; East New York to the east; Canarsie ...
and at age 18 was appointed manager of the
Fulton Theatre
The Fulton Theatre was a Broadway theatre located at 210 West 46th Street in Manhattan, New York City, that was opened in 1911. It was renamed the Helen Hayes Theatre in 1955. The theatre was demolished in 1982. Since the former Little Theatre be ...
for Loew's.
[ He became the manager of Loew's State Theatre in New York City when it opened in August 1921. He worked his way up Loew's Theatres and by 1934 was in charge of all their theatres outside New York. In 1939 he became a director of Loew's Inc. and by 1945 became director for all their theatres.][
In 1954 following a government decree separating Loew's production and distribution actives from the exhibition company, Vogel was elected president of Loew's Theatres Inc.][
]
MGM presidency
In October 1956 Vogel replaced Arthur M. Loew, son of founder Marcus Loew
Marcus Loew (May 7, 1870 - September 5, 1927) was an American business magnate and a pioneer of the motion picture industry who formed Loew's Theatres and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio (MGM).
Life and career
Loew was born in New York City, ...
, as president of Loew's Inc., which was renamed MGM Inc.[
MGM had been loss-making and had to deal with a significant corporate turmoil, including a takeover attempt in 1957 from former president ]Louis B. Mayer
Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1882 or 1884 or 1885 – October 29, 1957) was a Canadian-American film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios (MGM) in 1924. Under Mayer's management, MGM became the film industr ...
in association with two board members, Stanley Meyer and Joseph Tomlinson. Mayer attacked Vogel calling him a "fool" and not "capable of filling the post – no more capable of filling it than you would be fighting the heavyweight champion." However Vogel managed to fight off the takeover attempt and Mayer died of leukemia in 1957.
Vogel and his head of production Sol Siegel
Sol C. Siegel (March 30, 1903 – December 29, 1982) was an American film producer. Two of the numerous films he produced, ''A Letter to Three Wives'' (1949) and '' Three Coins in the Fountain'' (1954), were nominated for the Academy Award for ...
initially enjoyed a number of successful years at MGM, green lighting such movies as '' Gigi'' (1958), ''North by Northwest
''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film, produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. The screenplay was by Ernest Lehman, who wanted to write "the Hitchcock picture to ...
'' (1959), ''King of Kings
King of Kings; grc-gre, Βασιλεὺς Βασιλέων, Basileùs Basiléōn; hy, արքայից արքա, ark'ayits ark'a; sa, महाराजाधिराज, Mahārājadhirāja; ka, მეფეთ მეფე, ''Mepet mepe'' ...
'' (1961) and most notably '' Ben-Hur'' (1959). ''Gigi'' and ''Ben-Hur'' won the Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only category ...
back-to-back.[ ''Ben-Hur'', which Vogel had insisted be made against the will of the board, was the second highest-grossing film of all time behind the studio's '']Gone With the Wind
Gone with the Wind most often refers to:
* Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell
* Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel
Gone with the Win ...
'' and helped make the company profitable again.[ He also made the costly '' How the West Was Won'' (1962) against the will of the board, but it was also a hit.][
However he also oversaw a number of expensive flops, such as the remakes of '' Cimarron'' (1960), '']Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are figures in the Christian scriptures, first appearing in the Book of Revelation, a piece of apocalypse literature written by John of Patmos.
Revelation 6 tells of a book or scroll in God's right hand tha ...
'' (1961), and especially ''Mutiny on the Bounty
The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship from their captain, Lieutenant William Bligh, and set h ...
'' (1962), which ultimately caused millions in losses.[
Vogel was forced to resign in January 1963, replaced by Robert O'Brien and was moved upstairs to the role of chairman.][ Four months later he retired to ]Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from several nearby cities including West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach by the Intracoas ...
.[ He had surgery for ]brain cancer
A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secondar ...
and died at Palm Beach hospital on March 1, 1969 of a heart attack.[ He was survived by a wife Lena and son Richard.][ He was the brother of cinematographer ]Paul Vogel
Paul Vogel, A.S.C. (August 22, 1899 – November 24, 1975) was an American cinematographer. His credits included ''The Tell-Tale Heart'' (1941), '' Angels in the Outfield'' (1951), '' The Tender Trap'' (1955), ''High Society'' (1956), ''The Time ...
.
In 1959 he was made Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi.
The highest-ranking ...
following completion of ''Ben-Hur''.[
]
Notable films under his presidency
*'' The Reluctant Debutante'' (1958)
*''Imitation General
''Imitation General'' is a 1958 black-and-white comedy war film in CinemaScope, directed by George Marshall, produced by William B. Hawks, and starring Glenn Ford, Red Buttons, and Taina Elg. The film, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, is base ...
'' (1958)
*''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...
'' (1958)
*''Torpedo Run
''Torpedo Run'' is a 1958 American war film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Glenn Ford as a World War II submarine commander in the Pacific who is obsessed with sinking a particular Japanese aircraft carrier. The film's working title was '' ...
'' (1958)
*''The Badlanders
''The Badlanders'' is a 1958 American western caper film directed by Delmer Daves and starring Alan Ladd and Ernest Borgnine.''Variety'' film review; July 16, 1958, p. 6.'' Harrison's Reports'' film review; July 19, 1958, p. 114. Based on the ...
''
*''The Tunnel of Love
''The Tunnel of Love'' is a 1958 romantic comedy film directed by Gene Kelly and starring Doris Day and Richard Widmark. The film follows a married suburban couple who, for reasons unknown, are unable to conceive a child and soon endure endless ...
'' (1958)
*''Some Came Running
''Some Came Running'' is a novel by James Jones, published in 1958. It was Jones's second published novel, following his award-winning debut '' From Here to Eternity''. It is the story of a war veteran with literary aspirations who returns in ...
'' (1959)
*''Green Mansions
''Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest'' (1904) is an exotic romance by William Henry Hudson about a traveller to the Guyana jungle of southeastern Venezuela and his encounter with a forest-dwelling girl named Rima.
The principa ...
'' (1959)
*''North by Northwest
''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film, produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason. The screenplay was by Ernest Lehman, who wanted to write "the Hitchcock picture to ...
'' (1959)
*'' Ben-Hur'' (1959)
*''Never So Few
''Never So Few'' is a 1959 CinemaScope Metrocolor war film, directed by John Sturges and starring Frank Sinatra, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lawford, Steve McQueen, Richard Johnson, Paul Henreid, Brian Donlevy, Dean Jones, Charles Bronson, and Ph ...
'' (1959)
*''The Last Voyage
''The Last Voyage'' is a 1960 Metrocolor American disaster film written and directed by Andrew L. Stone. It stars Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone, George Sanders, and Edmond O'Brien, and features Tammy Marihugh.
The film centers on the sinking of ...
'' (1960)
*'' Home from the Hill'' (1960)
*'' Bells Are Ringing'' (1960)
*''BUtterfield 8
''BUtterfield 8'' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Daniel Mann, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey. Taylor won her first Academy Award for her performance in a leading role. The film was based on a 1935 novel of the same nam ...
'' (1960)
*''Where the Boys Are
''Where the Boys Are'' is a 1960 American CinemaScope comedy film directed by Henry Levin and starring Connie Francis, Dolores Hart, Paula Prentiss, George Hamilton, Yvette Mimieux, Jim Hutton, and Frank Gorshin. It was written by George W ...
'' (1960)
*'' Cimarron'' (1960)
*''The Honeymoon Machine
''The Honeymoon Machine'' is a 1961 American comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Steve McQueen, Brigid Bazlen, Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, Jack Mullaney, and Dean Jagger, based on the 1959 Broadway play ''The Golden Fleecing'' by ...
'' (1961)
*''King of Kings
King of Kings; grc-gre, Βασιλεὺς Βασιλέων, Basileùs Basiléōn; hy, արքայից արքա, ark'ayits ark'a; sa, महाराजाधिराज, Mahārājadhirāja; ka, მეფეთ მეფე, ''Mepet mepe'' ...
'' (1961)
*''Bridge to the Sun
''Bridge to the Sun'' is a 1961 film directed by Etienne Périer and starring Carroll Baker, James Shigeta, James Yagi, Tetsurō Tamba and Sean Garrison. It is based on the 1957 autobiography ''Bridge to the Sun'' by Gwen Terasaki, which detaile ...
'' (1961)
*'' Bachelor in Paradise'' (1961)
*'' The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse'' (1962)
*'' Light in the Piazza'' (1962)
*''Sweet Bird of Youth
''Sweet Bird of Youth'' is a 1959 play by Tennessee Williams which tells the story of a gigolo and drifter, Chance Wayne, who returns to his home town as the companion of a faded movie star, Alexandra del Lago (travelling incognito as Princess ...
'' (1962)
*''Lolita
''Lolita'' is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The novel is notable for its controversial subject: the protagonist and unreliable narrator, a middle-aged literature professor under the pseudonym Humbert Humber ...
'' (1962)
*''Ride the High Country
''Ride the High Country'' (released internationally as ''Guns in the Afternoon'') is a 1962 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, and Mariette Hartley. The supporting cast includ ...
'' (1961)
*''The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
''The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm'' is a 1962 American fantasy film directed by Henry Levin and George Pal. The latter was the producer and also in charge of the stop motion animation. The film was one of the highest-grossing films of ...
'' (1962)
*''Two Weeks in Another Town
''Two Weeks in Another Town'' is a 1962 American drama film directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Kirk Douglas and Edward G. Robinson. The supporting players include Cyd Charisse, Claire Trevor, Daliah Lavi, George Hamilton, and Rosanna Sch ...
'' (1962)
*'' How the West Was Won'' (1962)
*''Mutiny on the Bounty
The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship from their captain, Lieutenant William Bligh, and set h ...
'' (1962)
*''Billy Rose's Jumbo
''Billy Rose's Jumbo'' is a 1962 American musical film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and starring Doris Day, Stephen Boyd, Jimmy Durante, and Martha Raye. An adaptation of the stage musical ''Jumbo'' produced by Billy Rose, the film was dir ...
'' (1962)
References
External links
MGM
at IMDb
IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vogel, Joseph
American film studio executives
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer executives
1895 births
1969 deaths
Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic