Frank Rosenfelt
Encyclopedia
Frank E. Rosenfelt was an American
executive who served as CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
(MGM) studio under MGM owner Kirk Kerkorian
from 1972 until 1982. Additionally, Rosenfelt spearheaded the acquisition of United Artists
by MGM in 1981.
. Rosenfelt enlisted in the U.S. military during World War II
and fought at the Battle of the Bulge
. He was wounded during the battle and received a Purple Heart
. Rosenfelt returned to the United States
after the war and attended Cornell University
and the Cornell Law School
.
Rosenfelt joined RKO Studios in the studio's legal department for five years following his graduation from Cornell Law School.
Rosenfelt left RKO in 1955 and joined MGM as an attorney
the same year. He received a promotion to general counsel of MGM in 1969. Rosenfelt oversaw a number of important MGM movies during the 1960s including 2001: A Space Odyssey
(1968) and The Sunshine Boys
(1975).
One of his most important MGM accomplishments was the acquisition of the movie rights for Doctor Zhivago (1965), which was based on the book of the same name by Russian writer Boris Pasternak
. The rights to Dr. Zhivago were owned at the time by producer Carlo Ponti
. Rosenfelt was reportedly unsure whether writers in the Communist Soviet Union
had the right to sell their own intellectual properties and writings. He hired an expert in Soviet law which discovered that Russia
n writers did indeed retain their property rights. Following this discovery, Rosenfelt hired top Russian speaking literature scholars to translate Dr. Zhivago in a way that would not violate the terms of the contract.
Financier Kirk Kerkorian
purchased MGM in 1972 and offered Rosenfelt the position of president, chair and CEO of the studio
. Rosenfelt accepted the Kerkorian's offer.
Rosenfelt headed the MGM negotiations for Kerkorian's and MGM's $380 million dollar purchase of United Artists
studios from the Transamerica Corporation
, an insurance
corporation, in 1981. United Artists was had recently suffered financial losses following the commercial and critical failure of its movie, "Heaven's Gate
" (1980).
Rosenfelt stepped down as CEO of MGM in 1982 for personal reasons.
He was replaced by Frank Rothman, who was also a lawyer
. Rosenfelt was soon named the chief executive of United Artists. He later became vicechairman of the board
of the combined MGM/UA, which required a move to London
. Rosenfelt also set up his own independent consulting business.
He served on board of governors
of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
from 1977 to 1985.
Rosenfelt was known for his close friendships with a large number of important movie stars, director
s, and studio executives during his Hollywood career. He counted comedian George Burns
, actor Cary Grant
, studio chief Sherry Lansing
and film directors David Lean
and Stanley Kubrick
among his close friends.
, California
, on Thursday, August 2, 2007, at the age of 85. He was survived by his wife, Judith, a daughter and two sons.
Rosenfelt was profiled on ABC
's This Week with George Stephanopoulos "In Memoriam: Lives of Note" segment
on August 12, 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
executive who served as CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
(MGM) studio under MGM owner Kirk Kerkorian
Kirk Kerkorian
Kerkor "Kirk" Kerkorian is an American businessman who is the president/CEO of Tracinda Corporation, his private holding company based in Beverly Hills, California. Kerkorian is known as one of the important figures in shaping Las Vegas and, with architect Martin Stern, Jr...
from 1972 until 1982. Additionally, Rosenfelt spearheaded the acquisition of United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
by MGM in 1981.
Early life
Frank Rosenfelt was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 15, 1921. He grew up in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Rosenfelt enlisted in the U.S. military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and fought at the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. He was wounded during the battle and received a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
. Rosenfelt returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after the war and attended Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and the Cornell Law School
Cornell Law School
Cornell Law School, located in Ithaca, New York, is a graduate school of Cornell University and one of the five Ivy League law schools. The school confers three law degrees...
.
MGM Studio career
Rosenfelt left RKO in 1955 and joined MGM as an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
the same year. He received a promotion to general counsel of MGM in 1969. Rosenfelt oversaw a number of important MGM movies during the 1960s including 2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey (film)
2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, and co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, partially inspired by Clarke's short story The Sentinel...
(1968) and The Sunshine Boys
The Sunshine Boys
The Sunshine Boys is a play by Neil Simon that was produced on Broadway in 1972 and later adapted for film and television.-Plot:The play focuses on aging Al Lewis and Willy Clark, a one-time vaudevillian team known as "Lewis and Clark" who, over the course of forty-odd years, not only grew to hate...
(1975).
One of his most important MGM accomplishments was the acquisition of the movie rights for Doctor Zhivago (1965), which was based on the book of the same name by Russian writer Boris Pasternak
Boris Pasternak
Boris Leonidovich Pasternak was a Russian language poet, novelist, and literary translator. In his native Russia, Pasternak's anthology My Sister Life, is one of the most influential collections ever published in the Russian language...
. The rights to Dr. Zhivago were owned at the time by producer Carlo Ponti
Carlo Ponti
Carlo Ponti was an Italian film producer with over 140 production credits, and the husband of Italian movie star Sophia Loren.-Career:...
. Rosenfelt was reportedly unsure whether writers in the Communist Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
had the right to sell their own intellectual properties and writings. He hired an expert in Soviet law which discovered that Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n writers did indeed retain their property rights. Following this discovery, Rosenfelt hired top Russian speaking literature scholars to translate Dr. Zhivago in a way that would not violate the terms of the contract.
Financier Kirk Kerkorian
Kirk Kerkorian
Kerkor "Kirk" Kerkorian is an American businessman who is the president/CEO of Tracinda Corporation, his private holding company based in Beverly Hills, California. Kerkorian is known as one of the important figures in shaping Las Vegas and, with architect Martin Stern, Jr...
purchased MGM in 1972 and offered Rosenfelt the position of president, chair and CEO of the studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
. Rosenfelt accepted the Kerkorian's offer.
Rosenfelt headed the MGM negotiations for Kerkorian's and MGM's $380 million dollar purchase of United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
studios from the Transamerica Corporation
Transamerica Corporation
Transamerica Corporation is a holding company for various life insurance companies and investment firms doing business primarily in the United States. It was acquired by the Dutch financial services conglomerate AEGON in 1999.-History:...
, an insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
corporation, in 1981. United Artists was had recently suffered financial losses following the commercial and critical failure of its movie, "Heaven's Gate
Heaven's Gate (film)
Heaven's Gate is a 1980 American epic Western film based on the Johnson County War, a dispute between land barons and European immigrants in Wyoming in the 1890s...
" (1980).
Rosenfelt stepped down as CEO of MGM in 1982 for personal reasons.
He was replaced by Frank Rothman, who was also a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. Rosenfelt was soon named the chief executive of United Artists. He later became vicechairman of the board
Chairman of the Board
The Chairman of the Board is a seat of office in an organization, especially of corporations.Chairman of the Board may also refer to:*Chairman of the Board , a 1998 film*Chairmen of the Board , a 1970s American soul music group...
of the combined MGM/UA, which required a move to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Rosenfelt also set up his own independent consulting business.
He served on board of governors
Board of governors
Board of governors is a term sometimes applied to the board of directors of a public entity or non-profit organization.Many public institutions, such as public universities, are government-owned corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was managed by a board of governors, though this role...
of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
from 1977 to 1985.
Rosenfelt was known for his close friendships with a large number of important movie stars, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
s, and studio executives during his Hollywood career. He counted comedian George Burns
George Burns
George Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
, actor Cary Grant
Cary Grant
Archibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
, studio chief Sherry Lansing
Sherry Lansing
Sherry Lansing is a former actress and American film studio executive. She is former CEO of Paramount Pictures, and when president of production at 20th Century Fox was the first woman to head a Hollywood studio In 1996, she became the first woman named Pioneer of the Year by the Foundation of...
and film directors David Lean
David Lean
Sir David Lean CBE was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor best remembered for big-screen epics such as The Bridge on the River Kwai , Lawrence of Arabia ,...
and Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
among his close friends.
Death
Frank Rosenfelt died in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, on Thursday, August 2, 2007, at the age of 85. He was survived by his wife, Judith, a daughter and two sons.
Rosenfelt was profiled on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's This Week with George Stephanopoulos "In Memoriam: Lives of Note" segment
Segment
Segment may mean:*The divisions found in the internal section of a citrus fruit* Market segment, the smaller subgroups comprising a marketComputing*Segmentation , the division of computer memory into segments...
on August 12, 2007.