Evening star., 1945-10-10
HOLLYWOOD.
BY HAROLD HEFFERNAN.

Fastest moving, most watched in
dependent producer in Hollywood
today Is a newcomer to the cellu-
loid racket-one Benedict Bogeaus,
former Chicago real estate operator,
who, in less than three years and
without previous experience, has
forced his way right into the inner
circle of money-makers:
Boeeaus pronounced Bojus) takes
over the top spot of today's per-
sonality parade because he's one of
the most fabulous gents ever to hit
this fantastic business. Ben Bo-
geaus represents the elimination of
a rabid movie fans widest dream.
AS a 14-year -old newsboy back in
Chicago, Bogeaus often went hun
CRY, but he managed to scrape
enough coin together to patronize
four and five movies a week. The
kid had but one ambition in mind =.
He determined to become one of
those tycoons who made pictures.
Nothing short of owning his own
studio would be satisfactory. MANY
times he sat through one feature
afternoon and evening, taking along
a hunk OF balogna and a pint of
milk to keep going. He studied the
technique of film making from these
prolonged theater trips.
Late in 1912 Ben arrived in Holly
woodland at once his dream came
true. BY buying the big general
service studio, known as a rental"
lot with six big sound stages leased
out to independent film makers he
had overnight become one of the
towns top brass hats.
Day after he got title to General
Service, Bogeaus began visiting one
stage after another, studying at
flrst hand the methods of various
producers and directors to whom he
was now landlord. When he thought
he knew what most of the intricate
business was all about, he took over
a couple OF stages himself and got
a picture Of his own, THE Bridge
OF San Luis Rey," under way. 1t was
whopping financial success and
was followed by Captain Kidd"
starring Charles Laughton. Bogeaus
has just finished Diary of Cham
bermaid," co-starring Paulette God
dard and her husband, Burgess
Meredith.
You need draw no tycoonish COM
parsons to discover by means of
half an hours conversation with
him that Bogeaus is perhaps the
most colorful of them all.
At %, Ben was Chicago Million
alre, owning string of exclusive
apartment houses-and all from an
original stake of $1,000. He bor-
roWed that from his father. In his
early 40S today, he has built and lost
a dozen fortunes.
Most dramatics of his experiences
he points out, was his arrival in
Antwerp, Belgium, on August 81,
1889, to discover that a $4,000 in
Vestment 80 per cent? of five years
before in a Belgian Upper patent
and factory had made him a mil
honaire five times over.
n y Ks
"At o'clock the morning after
arrived and still dizzy over nv
oAiSAPCStCu 4Ol Gull6, Den recount
ed. i was a pauper again. During
the night the Germans began their
march into Poland. The war was
on. The upper workers deserted
the plant to don uniforms. Later
1t was destroyed"
Bogeaus got out of Belgium leap
or two ahead of the Nazis, bringing
along with him that upper patent.
He tried to manufacture it in this
country, but only with nominal sue
cess. Back to real estate he went.
another fortune, and then to Holly
wood to bask in that boyhood
dream.
When Bogeaus popped out of no.
where and overnight had a seat
among the old-time big shots, all
of them were chagrined. The vet
eran studio bosses, some of them
ex-cloak-and-suiters, pants press
ers and junk dealers, tried to throw
monkey wrenches into the Upper
mans path, But they failed. Now