20th Century-Fox: Darryl F. Zanuck and the Creation of the Modern Film Studio

by Scott Eyman

From New York Times bestselling author Scott Eyman, this is the story one of the most influential studios in film history, from its glory days under the leadership of legendary movie mogul Darryl F. Zanuck up to its 2019 buyout by Disney.
 
March 20, 2019 marked the end of an era -- Disney took ownership of the movie empire that was Fox. For almost a century before that historic date, Twentieth Century-Fox was one of the preeminent producers of films, stars, and filmmakers. Its unique identity in the industry and place in movie history is unparalleled -- and one of the greatest stories to come out of Hollywood. One man, a legendary producer named Darryl F. Zanuck, is the heart of the story. This narrative tells the complete tale of Zanuck and the films, stars, intrigue, and innovations of the iconic studio that was.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Media Tie In, History, Biography, Audiobook, Business

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 21, 2021

About the author

Scott Eyman has authored 11 books, including, with Robert Wagner, the New York Times bestseller Pieces of My Heart.

Among his other books are "Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer," "Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford," "Ernst Lubitsch: Laughter in Paradise," and "The Speed of Sound" (all Simon & Schuster) and "John Ford: The Searcher" for Taschen.

He has lectured extensively around the world, most frequently at the National Film Theater in London, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Moscow Film Theater. He's done the commentary tracks for many DVD's, including "Trouble in Paradise," "My Darling Clementine," and Stagecoach.

Eyman has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Chicago Tribune, as well as practically every film magazine extinct or still extant.

He's the literary critic for the Palm Beach Post; he and his wife Lynn live in Palm Beach.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

"For more than fifty years of its existence, the [20th Century-Fox] studio was dominated by two alpha males: First, there was William Fox, the founder of the feast, a feral, single-minded character who saw himself less as a movie mogul and more as a vauntingly ambitious American legend in the making - a Jewish Vanderbilt. Then there was Darryl F. Zanuck, who combined Fox's company with his own and ran the result, said one of his stars, 'like a Swiss watch' . . . [Zanuck] was not particularly obsessed by money and cared only about movies - their making, their editing, their presentation. He devoured movies the same way he devoured life - command was his prerogative." -- on pages 2-3

Having previously read and enjoyed author Eyman's rugged actor biographies on John Wayne and the lifetime friendship between Henry Fonda and James Stewart, I figured his more recent effort 20th Century-Fox: Darryl F. Zanuck and the Creation of the Modern Film Studio would be of the same quality. Well, as Marcia Brady would tauntingly sneer - "Nice try, Jan.". Fans who might be expecting some grit about classic or blockbuster films (plus their performers or directors) would be advised to look elsewhere. After some initial early chapters on founder William Fox, the bulk of the narrative is LARGELY about Darryl F. Zanuck, and serves more as his actual biography than one on the studio. As at least one other GR reviewer has somewhat noted, director John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath is granted as much page time as Zanuck's fierce hobby of croquet. (?!) That's not what I signed up for, and while Zanuck DID have a love of movies - more so than recent studio moguls, who are strictly business-minded executives - he was an unsavory type of character, with his many affairs and/or casting-couch activities now striking all the wrong notes in the 21st century. It's not that the book was badly written, but I suppose that I wanted more about the many ups and downs of a studio throughout the decades - in relation to its roster of movies - than about its man in the high castle.

[Gary Sassaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read a number of books by movie historian/author Scott Eyman, including The Speed of Sound (about the transition from silent pictures to talkies), and his biographies of Louis B. Mayer (The Lion of Hollywood) and Cary Grant (A Brilliant Disguise). I’ve also stopped short on his massive John Wayne bio and Hank & Jim, about the friendship between stars Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart. I feel he’s one of the best and most consistent writers about Hollywood history these days. His latest, 20th Century Fox, is the story of a studio that, for all intents and purposes, doesn’t really exist anymore, having been snapped up by Disney. It’s also, I feel, the slightest of his books, which doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it (I did), but after his exhaustive Cary Grant bio, it just seems like something a bit less.

You can’t tell the story of this studio without talking about Darryl F. Zanuck, a movie executive who seemed to embody the movie’s own version of the head of a studio: a megalomaniacal, jodhpur-wearing despot who walked around with a sawed-off croquet mallet and an always burning cigar firmly chomped in place. But Zanuck was, for most of his career, a true creative executive, something you definitely can’t say about Jack Warner, Louis B. Mayer, and Harry Cohn, the heads of, respectively, Warner Bros, MGM, and Columbia. Zanuck was intimately involved in all the films his studio produced, from approving scripts, stars, and directors, to editing a lot of them in post-production. Until old age—and a penchant for young, beautiful women who “deserved” to be stars—caught up with him, Zanuck made some amazing films and had a second life at the studio he helped found (his 20th Century Films merged with William Fox’s Fox in the 1930s) after resigning from it, one that included his son, Richard, as the VP of the studio. He summarily fired his son without batting an eyelash to save Zanuck’s own bacon, gaining just a few more months in charge in the 1960s, but by that time, the Fox Board of Directors had lost their faith and patience with him. And like other studio execs, once deposed from their kingdoms, Zanuck faded quickly into poor health and ultimately death.

This is another Turner Classic Movies (TCM) book published by Running Press, and I am so grateful for them almost single-handedly leading the charge on bringing movie history books back as a cottage industry within publishing. Their books are almost-always beautifully designed and printed and equally almost-always are about topics I’m passionately interested in. So while this certainly isn’t Eyman’s best, it’s a welcome addition to my movie book collection and a great look at another almost-forgotten studio impresario in Darryl F. Zanuck.

[John Mullarkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise well-written story - like so many other of his books on Hollywood by Scott Eyman of Daryl Zanuck's time running 20th Century-Fox. Like Warner, and Mankiewicz, Zanuck's name is synonymous with the rise of the great Hollywood movie studios in the early decades of the film industry. As the industry shifted away from silent films into sound, so did the creative process of story-telling and production. Zanuck was indeed a maverick in the industry - tirelessly adapting scripts; moving direction assignments; and overseeing all elements of film production once he took the reigns in 1933 and formed the then 20th Century Pictures - and then two years later, forming 20th Century-Fox by taking on the then bankrupt Fox Studios. Zanuck's time running studio is chronicled mainly through his successes (contributions to the war effort, and having a knack for making smart film choices as TV began to grind away at theater attendance in the 50's), but also includes his many faults - his many mistresses, and his often ruthless business dealings, and his often cold and calculating treatment of family members including his own son. This is a terrific history lesson - smoothly transition from decade to decade. There are side stories here - not many details about the daily workings of the studio itself or many of it's stars. It sticks to the subject - Zanuck - and reads like a true "rise and fall" story which could easily be made into a film itself.

[Charles Bill McKenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, easy to read. Doesn't get too bogged down in facts and statistics. Another book that emphasizes the business aspects always trump the artistic aspects. And that's life. There is quite a bit about the artistic aspects also. Especially enjoyed the comments on many films that I have seen. Didn't realize Zanuck spend so much time not far from where I live. Was not aware the problems beyond television that the industry was facing in the late 40s early 50s. If you are interested in the history of film this might be a book that you would enjoy.

[Jennifer Lafferty · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insightful read about a truly great studio and those who ran it, which should appeal to many cinephiles.

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

20TH CENTURY-FOX is a really good book. About Darryl Zanuck. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, if you like Darryl Zanuck, but for a book purporting to be about the late, great studio… you might be disappointed.
Scott Eyman has been writing on Hollywood subjects for decades, and this book feels like it has the makings of a longer book focusing exclusively on Zanuck. I understand that writing about a studio, especially one as storied as 20th…, requires the writer to also focus on the studio head because the great old studios like MGM or Warner Brothers were almost indistinguishable from their studio heads- there is no MGM without Louis B. Mayer or Warner Bros. without Jack Warner. Following this rule, there is no 20th Century-Fox without Darryl Zanuck.
The book opens with a brief history of the first Fox chief- William Fox. It tells simply of the stars and pictures he oversaw and his eventual exit due to financial decisions that worked out poorly. This part did however discuss F.W. Murnau's time at Fox, brief though it was (it did give the world the incredibly influential SUNRISE, though). After this history is quickly dispensed in the first 70 odd pages, Eyman gets to the subject he cares most about: Darryl Zanuck.
I kind of hate that I agree with Zanuck. Eyman goes deep with his descriptions of Zanuck's work ethic and near total control of the movies made under his watch. We are given a solid background from his early days in Nebraska to the last films he was involved in. 
There is intense care and research on display by Eyman, and I concede I'm curious enough to seek out some of the most minor works produced by Zanuck. Sure, they were all made to showcase whichever girlfriend Zanuck had at the time (this happened a lot), but they were also the last pictures of George Stevens and Jean Negulesco (or maybe I'm a glutton for punishment). 
I was even a bit moved when Eyman details Zanuck's failing health and the tragedies that would befall some of his family members in the aftermath.
It's everything else that Eyman phones in. He does a great job with about 190 pages of Zanuck and then… dedicates 15 to the last forty years of 20th's existence- which were pretty big years! They encompassed the 1970s, Rupert Murdoch and finally the acquisition of 20th by Disney (and subsequent disinterested treatment of it). There's enough history for another couple of books but Eyman doesn't appear interested.
I can recommend this book if you're interested in Darryl Zanuck, the writing is crisp and involving. I feel satisfied knowing a little more about him. It's everything else which leaves something to be desired. The definitive history of 20th Century-Fox has yet to be written, and when it is, this book will come in handy for that writer.

[Nathan Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth a read if you’re into Hollywood history. Less relevant if you’re more interested in current events. The book goes into great detail of the studio under Fox and Zanuck. However, there is only one brief chapter on the studio under Murdoch.

[Alan P Brocavich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very educational and insightful history of one of the most famous movie studios. Eye-opening and has me looking to go down the rabbit hole of older films.

[shouri gomatham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, colorful, thoughtful, rousing odyssey of bygone legends and a bygone era. At its least, Eyman's work is informative and engaging through and through. At its most, the book is also a sort of sweeping heroes' journey Hollywood epic of its own. It is true that they don't make em like they used to. It is also true that those who make em don't make em like they used to either. Once upon a time in Hollywood, giants ruled the screens, and bigger giants ruled behind the scenes. Perfect in their passion, imperfect in their pursuits, and endearing and eternal in their legacies. By the time we reach the final page, we look back on the 100-year history of that sacred name, dynasty, and studio, and we mourn the end of brash originality with a wistful eye and a one final hopeful hurrah. Once upon a time in Hollywood, you could tell what studio was behind the picture simply by watching the picture for a few minutes. Today, the goal succeeding these corporate consolidations seems to be making motion pictures as indistinguishable as possible. IP is the currency. Metrics are the exchange rates. Though the name of originality (swings and misses, highs and lows and all) - the name Fox - is now globally retired, the spirit of the studio that helped usher in, foster, challenge, and grow cinema into what we know it as today will never disappear. Eyman tells us the story of a journey to hell and back. As all things in the world tend to be, these motions are cyclical. It might feel like a dark time for original storytelling and original success, but if there's anything that Eyman can assure us through his retracing of history and parting words, it's that the promise of heaven and a better tomorrow will once again await us. There is no cap on Golden Ages. A masterful, imaginative read.

[A Cesspool · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (I’ll certainly revise that at some point) …just still smarting over abrupt ending — as if to emulate Marvin "Mr. Wildcatter" Davis’ notoriously gruff, churlish administration, the author pantomimes jettisoning all the cultivation and grandeur previously conveyed — especially after teasing Fox 20th Century’s post-Disney acquisition outlook (in prologue).
In that vein, Scott Eyman's 20CF really feels more like William Fox | Darryl Zanuck memoir(s).

I'm aware plenty has already been written about him, but I could’ve used way more Laddie; same goes for Sherry Lansing’s brief time (schooling charlatan boss, Davis, on film production, marketing, distribution, etc). I was really looking forward to Eyman’s signature, exhaustive, monographs laser-focused on 20th Century Fox’s New Hollywood era, unfortunately 20CF runs out of steam [once Zanuck(s) is out of the picture]

To be fair, continuing with the same level intrigue invested, into late-60s through present day, would likely necessitate two volumes. Considering the abbreviated latter days timeline, that almost certainly appears to be the case, i.e. final chapters hastily condensed, after publisher’s aversion towards contracting Volume II.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really a complete history of Fox but a good overview. Will Rogers, Shirley Temple and Betty Grable were Fox's meal tickets in the 30s and 40s and while they are mentioned, Eyman does not really delve into their significance to both Twentieth Century Fox and the American culture at large.

Also, how do you write a history of 20th Century Fox and barely mention Spyros Skouros who was President of the company from 1942 to 1962, controlled a half dozen theater chains and was probably the richest studio head in Hollywood?

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

20th Century-Fox: Darryl F. Zanuck and the Creation of the Modern Film Studio leans more heavily toward DFZ than to the creation of the studio or its detailed history (James Cameron’s Avatar gets a sentence, Zanuck’s passion for croquet gets pages). Still, a serviceable overview of the studio and its pre-history stretching back to the early 1900s.

[Malcolm Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is essentially a history of William Fox,the founder of the studio and Darryl F Zanuck who controlled the studio from the thirties to the seventies.The last 50 years of the studio are dealt with in 15 pages. It is a good read although most of the information in the book is to be found in prior biographies.

[Samantha Glasser]

I got my copy signed at Cinevent in Columbus, Ohio in October 2021.

[Mark Schiffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readable and informative, though I woulda liked more detail in the back half!

[Jeffrey Powanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A surprisingly slim book (less than 300 pages) about Twentieth Century-Fox, one of the great Hollywood studios. This breezy account has what you expect, lots of inside dope on Fox productions and plenty of gossip about stars and studio executives. It also serves as concise dual biographies of two men:

- William Fox, the New York-based mogul who founded the Fox Film Corporation in 1915, and then lost control of it during the Great Depression. The chapters on Fox take a quarter of the book.

- Darryl F. Zanuck, the former Warner Bros. executive, producer, and screenwriter who founded Twentieth Century Pictures in 1933 with Joseph Schenck and others (including Louis B. Mayer). In 1935, Twentieth Century acquired Fox Film Corporation, and the company became Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation. Zanuck controlled film production for Fox over the next four decades, a remarkable run. The chapters on Zanuck take almost 70% of the book.

The biggest problem with the book is that despite the notable talents of Fox and Zanuck, they also were notorious scoundrels. Fox went to prison for bribing the judge handling his bankruptcy case (he was later pardoned by President Truman), and Zanuck's predatory behavior was similar to Harvey Weinstein's, sexually harassing numerous women in his office and conducting numerous affairs while living apart from his wife for 17 years.

Of course, other people owned or ran Twentieth Century-Fox. The book short-changes everyone involved with the studio since Zanuck was removed due to his deteriorating health in 1971, including Rupert Murdoch. Eyman summarizes that post-Zanuck 48-year period in only 12 pages.

My distaste for Fox and Zanuck caused me to be disappointed in the book. That's unfortunate, because for the past year I've been watching many movies from the Thirties and Forties, and without question the best of them are the Twentieth Century-Fox movies. Take, for example, Son of Fury (1942), starring Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney, an ordinary historical romance that achieves greatness with its musical score, cinematography, supporting cast, costumes, and sets. Not a penny was wasted; the quality of the production is apparent. It's a fast-paced and fun movie, an enjoyable way to spend a couple hours.

Despite my disappointment at the book's focus on Fox and Zanuck, it still provides plenty of information on the studio's approach to making movies. Maybe a more focused book on Twentieth Century-Fox movies from Thirties through the Fifties would have been better, as long as it didn't make Zanuck the sole focus. There are many great movies from that period to analyze, and it would be fascinating to learn more about the writing, directing, editing, music, costumes, production design, and box office receipts. Here are Wikipedia lists of Twentieth Century-Fox films from 1935 to 1999 and from 2000 to 2020, something missing from the book.

In 2019, Twentieth Century-Fox was bought by Disney for $71.3 billion and its name was later changed to Twentieth Century Pictures.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book, providing a history of the 20th Century Fox movie studio through the life of its most prominent executive, Darryl Zanuck. The author, entertainment critic and historian Scott Eyman, delivers a history of the American movie industry by following a major studio and its dynamic executive across over six decades. The book starts in the silent film days of early Hollywood, then progresses through the big studio era, the devolution of studio power, and the beginnings of the current establishment. The early years of Fox and the convoluted initiation of 20th Century are discussed in detail, culminating in their eventual merger. The book covers all elements of the studio’s production process, from the technology of movies, the relationship with theaters, the dealings with actors, and the development structure. Zanuck’s unique skills are showcased, as is his slow but steady demise as the movie industry evolved. A great book for understanding the movie industry across the 20th century.

[Randy Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Breezy, Well-Researched History Of. Major Hollywood Studio

As the title indicates, the story of 20th Century-Fox is really the story of Darryl F. Zanuck, who was the decision maker-in-chief for the studio’s first two decades., left for a while, then came back for another stint in his later years. Eyman has done a great job of bringing together Zanuck’s personal story with the development of the studio from the 1930s until the 1950s, then explaining why he left and, ultimately, came back. It’s a fascinating tale, and while Zanuck comes across as a masterful producer with incredible instincts that resulted in many classic films, Eyman doesn’t shy away from highlighting his flaws as well. It’s also written in an entertaining way, hitting all the key points without getting bogged down in too much extraneous detail. Anyone with an interest in Hollywood history should enjoy this book.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history of the people behind 20th Century Fox and the movies and stars it made. There is a bit of something for everyone reading this book that enjoys movies.

How did this book find me? Scott Eyman will be the guest speaker at the Kansas Silent Film Festival taking place February 28-March 1. I wanted to read his books before meeting him.

[Debbie Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not just an interesting look at 20th Century Fox History from the days of movie moguls to the buyout by Rupert Murdoch and subsequent sale of the company, leaving Fox TV behind. It's also an essential history of the movie industry in general, how it developed and incorporated sound and better equipment to make movies. Fox and Zanuck are characters that couldn't be duplicated in fiction.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, surface level bio of the studio, William Fox, and Darryl Zanuck. The book covers the entire century of the studio's existence without diving into any era, movie, or filmmaker with much depth. For what it is, there is still plenty of information and is a fast read.

[Joe Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid history of a movie studio and the two men who turned it into a successful studio. If you are looking for an easy to read history that doesn't get bogged down in movie trivia or minutia, this is for you.

[Nick Byers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough history of 20th Century Fox under Zanuck and Zanuck himself. Would have liked descriptions of the movies talked about rather than the book just assuming I've memorized the plot of every Fox film, but alas.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great information but such a drag representation. I felt this was a lot of information presented in such a flat lifeless manner that it is easy to lose interest. But as a whole this was very informative.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Tyler J Hinds · Rating 3 out of 5]

6.4

[Jan C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history of a movie studio and biography of Darryl Zanuck. Well written. I thought it seemed a little long so was surprised to see that it was 336 pages. I'd have guessed it was longer.

[John Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Fox and Darryl Zanuck dominated the studio for its first half-century. Both were risk-takers and innovative — and despicable.
Fox bought theaters, established the industry standard for sound pictures, and developed innovative widescreen filming techniques. His world came crashing down with the 1929 stock market crash because of all the money he had borrowed. He ended up bankrupt and pushed out.
Zanuck rose to power with the Fox merger with Twentieth Century. There is no doubt that Zanuck was a genius, who oversaw some great movies such as "The Grapes of Wrath," "All About Eve," and "How Green Was My Valley."
Yet he carried out sexual advances upon upcoming starlets with impunity, behavior that today would not only get him fired but land him in prison. Ultimately what left Zanuck's reputation tarnished was a string of affairs in midlife that distracting him from making films. After leaving as production chief in 1956, he returned as studio head in 1962 overseeing the blockbusters "The Longest Day" and "Cleopatra." He named his son Richard as studio head, and most movies under the father-son tandem lost money. Darryl ended up firing his son.
But Richard eventually formed his own production company, responsible for huge hits such as "The Sting" and "Jaws."

[Dave Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this sweeping and comprehensive history of Fox Film, 20th Century Pictures, and the merged company that dominated the movie industry through the "golden era" of cinema thanks to the genius and megalomania of Darryl Zanuck. Lots of great details and trivia about how some of the greatest films of the era were made, along with business details about how 20th Century Fox started to falter and barely kept afloat with the runaway success of "The Sound of Music".

It also gets into some of the dirt about DFZ, as Zanuck was known in the biz, including his sexual proclivities (he predated Harvey Weinstein's gross and boorish behavior by decades). Where Eyman might have eased back on the details, however, was of the few pages about Darryl's last few years of life, living in Palm Springs with his long-estranged wife.

Nonetheless, if you want to know more about the chaotic world of cinema, this is an excellent read and one worth having on the shelf of any cinophile.

[Riq Hoelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's great to have this book, the counterpart to the author's great book on MGM. Not as thick or in-depth, but still includes a lot of great stories and characterizations. Could have used stronger editing as some stories begin, break off and only continue much later. That, lack of section titles and an indifferent index make it a bit tricky to look things up again later. Kind of like listening to a forgetful old man tell his life story, always interesting, but strangely disconnected at times. It did add several films to my to-watch list. Apparently I regard the film Unfaithfully Yours more highly than the author does.