Irving Fein
Encyclopedia
Irving Fein is an American
television
and film
producer, and was the longtime manager of entertainers Jack Benny
and George Burns
.
, New York
to Harry Fein, a builder, and his wife Fannie. An exceptional student, Irving skipped three grade levels before graduating grade school at just twelve years old. After graduating from Erasmus Hall High School
, he went on to attend the University of Baltimore
before transferring to the Alexander Meiklejohn
Experimental College at the University of Wisconsin. It was during the summer months, while Fein was attending children's camps, that he became interested in dramatics and writing.
. He attended Brooklyn Law School
in the evening, concurrently with his job at Warners', and eventually earned his law degree. He turned down an offer to work in the legal department at Warner Brothers, and instead moved to their California
office where he began in the mailroom. He soon joined their publicity department, making thirty-five dollars a week. Less than a year after moving to California, Irving received an offer to join the publicity department at Columbia Pictures
. He accepted, and his salary jumped to one hundred fifty dollars a week. During his career as a publicist he worked for Warner Brothers, Columbia Pictures
and Metro Goldwyn Mayer.
when he was hired as Benny's publicity and advertising director. From 1936 to 1940, Benny's radio show had been number one, but soon dropped to number four, with Bob Hope
, Edgar Bergen
, and the Lux Radio Theatre gaining in popularity. Six months after Fein joined Benny, his show was back at number one. Over the next nine years, Fein became Benny's manager and producer, as well as handling all of the PR work involved. During the many years of their long association, Fein kept Jack Benny a number-one star on TV, in personal appearances, and in the concert world performing with the most notable symphony orchestras in the U.S. and Europe.
In 1956, William S. Paley
wooed Irving away from Jack, naming him a vice president at CBS
and moving him and his family to New York City
. However, Jack Benny did not want any other manager but Fein, and in less than a year Irving came back to Hollywood as President of "J&M Productions", Jack Benny's company [created in 1955 to guarantee additional income by producing his own series and several others; MCA acquired the company in 1962]. Along with all of the Jack Benny shows, J&M produced the popular television series "Checkmate", as well as "The Gisele MacKenzie Show" (1957–58), "The Marge and Gower Champion Show" (1957), "Holiday Lodge", starring Wayne and Shuster
in their first American TV series (1961) and "Ichabod and Me" (1961–62). Fein also served as executive producer of Jack's weekly series until it ended in 1965, and his yearly NBC specials until Benny's death in 1974.
. After the death of Gracie Allen
, George struggled as a single act. Irving became George's manager and producer and turned his career around. George's star turn in The Sunshine Boys
, a role which Irving was instrumental in getting him, earned George an Academy Award. This was the beginning of another long personal and business relationship which lasted twenty-two years, until George Burns died.
in June 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
producer, and was the longtime manager of entertainers Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
and 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...
.
Early life
Irving Fein was born on June 21, 1911 in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Harry Fein, a builder, and his wife Fannie. An exceptional student, Irving skipped three grade levels before graduating grade school at just twelve years old. After graduating from Erasmus Hall High School
Erasmus Hall High School
Erasmus Hall Campus High School is a four-year public high school in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, United States operated by the New York City Department of Education....
, he went on to attend the University of Baltimore
University of Baltimore
The University of Baltimore , located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood at 1420 N. Charles Street, is part of the University System of Maryland. Through the Freshman Initiative or Lower Division Initiative, UB has transformed from an upper division university to a...
before transferring to the Alexander Meiklejohn
Alexander Meiklejohn
Alexander Meiklejohn was a philosopher, university administrator, and free-speech advocate. He served as dean of Brown University and president of Amherst College.- Life and career:...
Experimental College at the University of Wisconsin. It was during the summer months, while Fein was attending children's camps, that he became interested in dramatics and writing.
Career
After writing several short stories, Fein was hired to work in the publicity and advertising department for Warner Brothers 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...
. He attended Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School is a law school located in Brooklyn Heights, in Downtown Brooklyn, New York.-History:Founded in 1901 by William Payson Richardson and Norman P. Heffley, Brooklyn Law School was the first law school on Long Island. Using space provided by Heffley’s business school, the law...
in the evening, concurrently with his job at Warners', and eventually earned his law degree. He turned down an offer to work in the legal department at Warner Brothers, and instead moved to their 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...
office where he began in the mailroom. He soon joined their publicity department, making thirty-five dollars a week. Less than a year after moving to California, Irving received an offer to join the publicity department at Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
. He accepted, and his salary jumped to one hundred fifty dollars a week. During his career as a publicist he worked for Warner Brothers, Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
and Metro Goldwyn Mayer.
Jack Benny
In 1947, Fein began his twenty-eight year association with Jack BennyJack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
when he was hired as Benny's publicity and advertising director. From 1936 to 1940, Benny's radio show had been number one, but soon dropped to number four, with Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, Edgar Bergen
Edgar Bergen
Edgar John Bergen was an American actor and radio performer, best known as a ventriloquist.-Early life:...
, and the Lux Radio Theatre gaining in popularity. Six months after Fein joined Benny, his show was back at number one. Over the next nine years, Fein became Benny's manager and producer, as well as handling all of the PR work involved. During the many years of their long association, Fein kept Jack Benny a number-one star on TV, in personal appearances, and in the concert world performing with the most notable symphony orchestras in the U.S. and Europe.
In 1956, William S. Paley
William S. Paley
William S. Paley was the chief executive who built Columbia Broadcasting System from a small radio network into one of the foremost radio and television network operations in the United States.-Early life:...
wooed Irving away from Jack, naming him a vice president at CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and moving him and his family to New York City
New 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...
. However, Jack Benny did not want any other manager but Fein, and in less than a year Irving came back to Hollywood as President of "J&M Productions", Jack Benny's company [created in 1955 to guarantee additional income by producing his own series and several others; MCA acquired the company in 1962]. Along with all of the Jack Benny shows, J&M produced the popular television series "Checkmate", as well as "The Gisele MacKenzie Show" (1957–58), "The Marge and Gower Champion Show" (1957), "Holiday Lodge", starring Wayne and Shuster
Wayne and Shuster
Wayne and Shuster were a Canadian comedy duo formed by Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster. They were active professionally from the early 1940s until the late 1980s....
in their first American TV series (1961) and "Ichabod and Me" (1961–62). Fein also served as executive producer of Jack's weekly series until it ended in 1965, and his yearly NBC specials until Benny's death in 1974.
George Burns
Near the end of Jack's life, Fein had become helpful to George BurnsGeorge 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...
. After the death of Gracie Allen
Gracie Allen
Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen , known as Gracie Allen, was an American comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns...
, George struggled as a single act. Irving became George's manager and producer and turned his career around. George's star turn in 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...
, a role which Irving was instrumental in getting him, earned George an Academy Award. This was the beginning of another long personal and business relationship which lasted twenty-two years, until George Burns died.
Awards and Achievements
During Fein's long and distinguished career he earned many awards, including an Emmy for one of the Jack Benny television shows he produced. He also authored several books, including the bestseller "Jack Benny: An Intimate Biography". In film, Irving Fein produced or co-produced several of George Burns' films.Personal life
Fein was first married to Florence Kohn, with whom he had two children, Tisha Fein (a television producer), and Michael Fein (a doctor). Michael and his wife Beni gave Irving three granddaughters, Tasha, Noelle and Nicole, and two great-granddaughters, Chloe and Alexa. He married Marion Schechter in 1969 and has a stepson, Dan Schechter. Irving and Marion live happily in West Hollywood and are still active in the Hollywood show-business community. He turned 100Centenarian
A centenarian is a person who is or lives beyond the age of 100 years. Because current average life expectancies across the world are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity. Much rarer, a supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only...
in June 2011.