Evening star., 1942-03-19
Sidney R. Kent, Film
Executive, Dies al Sc
In New York Home
Veteran Of Industry
Had Long Suffered
From Heart Disease
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, March 19.-Sidney
r. Kent, Sc, Midwestern farm boy
who became president Of one Of the
Nations largest motion picture
companies, Goth Century-Fox, died
early today.
He had been in poor health from a
weak heart five years but about a
year ago was so improved that he
increased his working hours. His
death came as a surprise. Only
two weeks ago he went to Chicago
for q company convention.
Death came at 5 am. at his home.
His second wife, Mrs. Lilyan White
Kent, was the only relative present.
Mr.. Kent had been active yester-
day. His daughter by g former
marriage, Peggy Ann Kent Wilson,
wife of a radio announcer, was at
her home in Hollywood.
In Industry 30 Years.
Mr.. Kent primarily was a sales
mana supersalesman who saved
the old Fox Film Corp. from bank
ruptcy and merged it with goth Cen
tury to form one of the industryS
leading companies.
Mr.. Kent entered the picture in
dustry nearly 80 years ago after a
friends enthusiasm induced him to
quit as assistant to the president
of a large Eastern drug company.
He began with the old Vitagraph
Co.
A short time later General Films
Co. was indicted under the Sherman
anti trust law and became involved
in judgments totaling $25,000 900.
Frank Hitchcock. former Postmaster
General, assigned to straighten out
Generals financial tangle, called in
Mr.. Kent. Together they accom-
plished the task.
Mr.. Kent then walked into Adolph
Zukor's office and was given job
on condition that he make good.
He did. He became sales manager,
then general manager and vice
president of Paramount.
Saved Old Tax Assets.
In 1892 he resigned to become
president OF Fox, which was in
such bad financial straits 1t was
threatened with bankruptcy.
Mr.. Kent negotiated what film
producers still refer to as "a miracle
of the industry" Largely through
his reputation for honesty and his
record with Paramount, he induced
Fox creditors not to foreclOSe.
His method was simple. He'd
walk into the Office of creditor and
put 1t this way: If you'll string
along with us, maybe we can save
something for all oy you"
Most Of them accepted and Mr..
Kent saved Fox.
Three years later, in 1885, he
Effected merger with the new
Twentieth Century Pictures Co.,
organized by Daryl Zanuck and
Joe Schenck. This threesome-
Mr.. Schenck as chairman of the
board until he resigned last Janu-
ary, Mr.. Zanuck as vice president
in charge of production and MIR.
Kent-built the new corporation
into one of the industrys most
powerful.
Mr.. Kent had one of the finest
regulations in motion picture cir
Cles-built on his integrity and
salesmanship. One of his favorite
phrases was, The best sales depart
ment is the best-informed sales de-
partment." On that foundation he
and his statesmen built.
Native Of Lincoln. Nebr.
Mr.. Kent was born July 80, 1885,
at Lincoln, Nebr., and spent his
early boyhood there and at Marys-
vile, Kans. He was the son of Eng
lish immigrants.
He quit school at IA to take \
IS a week job stoking boilers in .
greenhouse. Before he was 20 he
had gone to Wyoming and worked
up to a responsible position with
the Colorado Fuel 6 Iron Co. He
and five other engineers, only in
habitants of So miles of desolate
country, built roads and pipelines,
established camps and opened up
the territory.
In 1912 he went to the Pacific
Coast with the American Druggists
Syndicate, but soon went east and
not long after joined Vitagraph.
Mr.. Kent's first wife was Mrs.
Mabelle Eaves Kent, mother OF his
daughter Peggy Ann. They were
divorced. She died recently. He
married Lilyan White 13 years ago.