Evening star., 1942-04-20
Film Executive Given
Credit for Shipment
OF Food TO Greece
Skouros Come to u. s.
AS Youth, Now Is Chief
OF 10th Century-Fox
Nv sHEILAH GRAHAM.

5sy 70 Greece. The German gov
ernment has promised not to touch
II. The italian government has
promised not to sink IT, And the
British government has promised
they viii not intercept It, The
man responsible for this achieve
ment Is Spyros Skouras. a Greek
from way back. and the newly
elected president Of the 2oth Cen
tury-Fox Film Corp
The life story Of Mr. Skoufas is
more romantic than the most ro-
mantle Of his conpany's films. and
should be titled. From Bus Boy
IN Film President"
Mr.. Skouras. third youngest Of
family Of five brothers and five
sisters. was born in Skourohorion.
which in English means "Skourss-
vile" He might still be living in
the town OF his ancestors, but for
his five sisters.
In Greece, every time girl is
born, the family gets that much
poorer" ! am informed by Mr..
SkOuras. She must have a dowry
for her future husband All my
five sisters were born before ! was,
so the family fortune was at a low
ebb at the time I decided 10 leave
Greece and try my luck in Amer
lea"
Came To u. =. In 1910.
Mr. Skouras came To this .coun-
try in 1910, preceded by older
brother Charlie in 1907, and fol-
lowed by baby brother George In
1912. Another brother. Dimitrios.
now dead. divided his time between
America and Greece.
Spyros had trained for the priest
hood while earning his bread and
butter in Patras on a newspaper.
In the morning he was a Journal
list. In the afternoon he studied
English and accounting. In the
evenings he attended a school OF
theology. He was about Is at the
time.
"Spyros, every time he took on a
new Job, always took on a new
school," brother George, who now
picks up the narrative, tells me.
When he came to St. Louis as a
bus boy in the Planters Hotel. he
also attended Jones Commercial Col
lege in his spare time"
The head barman in the hotel.
Frank Balzer, another adopted son
Of America. would join Spyros In
the singing of The Star Spangled
Banner" at 6 am. every morning
a thank-you from the immigrants
to this bright land of opportunity.
Always Very Ambitious.
'Spyros has always been very am
bilious" says George. Until we
went into the theater business, he
used to say. Within 10 years I'll own
two or three hotels We brothers
used TO meet every Sunday, We used
to dress alike, too"
In 1915, the Skouras brothers were
informed that three compatriots
were building a nickelodeon, but
were short of money to complete it.
SpyroS, the thrifty, and Charlie his
brother, had saved between $1,000
to $4,000 They invested in the
cinema, called it Olympia" after
Mount Olympus near their home
town in Greece. This early theater
still exists in st. Louis.
''Spyros would now say" adds
George, 1T won't be long before I
have every good theater in St. Louis.
Soon he acquired two other theaters.
Then came the First World War.
Spyros joined the United States Air
Service and went TO Dallas, Tex
After he was discharged with a
commiSSion) he returned to st.
Louis, wanting to 60 into the air
plane business. Charlie and
thought he was a bit touched and
discouraged him to the point where
he discarded the aviation idea. He
stayed with the film business and
between 1919 and 1926 he had 81
theaters, all in St. Louis The
company then expanded into Kansas
City and Indianapolis, in conjunc-
tion with Paramount Publix Corp.
Skouras Is Early Riser.
With the beginning of the huge
film circuits. Mr.. Skouras sold out
10 Warner Bros who had taken
over the First National Film Co.
and were among the early produc-
ing companies TO win the theaters
in which they sold their product.
Mr.. SkouraS remained with Warmers
as general manager.
In 1882. he took over the Fox
West Coast theater chain which had
been losing Sl.0O0.000 year.
Within u months the loss was
Transformed into a 100000 profit.
The once near-bankrupt company
now has a chain of more than 500
theaters.
With the death OF Sidney R Kent
a few weeks ago. MIR. Skouras took
over the presidency Of Goth Century
Fox.
He is married. has five living
chlldren-and, in the words of
George. loves his wife and has al
ways come home at night no matter
how late he had been kept out"
He still rises at am. calls brother
George at $50 am. and demands,
Are YOU ready for the office?' His
energy at something more than so
years Is amazing despite the fact
ol only four or five hours Of sleep.
He adds to this with armchair cat
maps during the day.
4 devout member of the Greek
Orthodox Church, Mr.. SkouraS is
on the board Of the Greek Cathe-
oral here, is president of the Greek
War Relief which has raised nearly
S5.Ooo.oO0 with an expense sheet
OF less than 2 per cent. He owes
his scuueSS. according to George.
to patience, tenacity, and the up
bringing of our mother"