The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-09-13
SeIznick Grays
In 5I-Hour Bout
With Morpheus

his feet. He is second generation
producer, but he started from
scratch, after his father, L. J. SEX
nick, a Russian immigrant, had
made and lost millions in the film
business. When David was 81, his
father had tried to fill some inside
straights, without any luck and the
young man had a one-dollar bill,
with which to start his career, plus
some schooling in movie-making and
his old mans yen for taking
chance.
He saw possibilities in Luis
Angel FirpO for profitable
quickie. He pencilled out a plot,
borrowed $4,000 from a friend,
paid Firpo $1,000, took a few
shorts Of the Wild Bull of the
Pampas and within three days
took profit of $875 on his film.
He went on from there to his
gallery Of the classics, including
"The Tale Of Two Cities" "Da-
vid Copperfield," Little Lord
Fauntleroy," "The Prisoner of
Zenda," and "Tom Sawyer"
In Russia, the family name was
Zeleznick. Zeleznick pere left home
at IL, met establishment as 4 hard
driven factory hand in England, and
found his slice of the American
dream waiting for him when he
landed here, as jeweler, banker,
promoter and fllm-producer. All
this. and his own venturesome ca
reer, has made the younger SELF
nick eager to film America only as
q going concern. Six feet, one, mus
cular and energetic, he has a placid
face rarely caught in a frown-un-
less somebody tells him that IRE
becca" was a better film than
Wind" That burns him up.
THE Nizam of Hyderabad is said
L to be the richest man in the
world, but he gets his shoes half
soled three or four times and wears
Nizam IL Worlds p inss H elose-
Richest Man, Yet his gift of
Paragon of Thrift $500, 900 to the
British to buy
American planes is a gesture some
what like that of the late Hetty
Green suddenly buying somebody a
drink-and she never drank. AS
his fortune is rated around $2,OOO,-
100000, the gift represents a SINH
lar strain on his resources.
The Nizam, a pale, bent, nervous
little man, worried and watchful,
lives in splendor, but his sometimes
fabulous expenditures are for re-
quirements of state. Although he
has 400 up-to-date automobiles, he
rides in a 26-year-old car and fire.
quently walks quite a distance to
save gas. For ceremonial journeys
he keeps a train steamed up, with
% pullmans needed to accommodate
his encourage.
This writer never could get il
quite straight as to how many
men the Nizam could bury in
diamonds. Estimates vary from
four to seven. At any rate, there
are always men working" signs
around his palace, as his dia-
monds, emeraIds, rubies and
gOld-pieces are being shOveIed
this way and that. He fuses a
lot about just where and how
his treasure Is stored, and Is al
ways adding IL up and shifting IL
somewhere else.
In 1926, the British were worried
about signs Of unrest among the
Mohammedan potentate's $1,000, 900
subjects. There were reports that
he was becoming autocratic, and If
anyone drove up in a car he liked,
he might add it to his collection.
The viceroy interfered and certain
controls were set up which seemed
to settle everything nicely.
The thrifty Nizam has q playboy
son, Prince Nawab Azam Jah, who
thinks his father makes a mistake,
like old Fafnir. in just sitting on his
gold. He is firm in the belief that
his pater's wealth ought 10 be out
in circulation.
In the World war, the Nizam
was supposed 70 be q laggard In
empire cooperation at first, bat
at the time Of the U-bOat crisis
suddenly made generous eOntri-
buttons 70 defense. He has 50
palaces, q splendid seraEliO, and
is reported 20 have about IOo
sons and daughters.