Charles Bluhdorn
Charles George Bluhdorn (born Karl Georg Blühdorn; September 20, 1926 – February 19, 1983) was an Austrian-born American industrialist. He built his fortune in auto parts and commodities such as zinc, and following a 1966 acquisition became CEO, chairman and president of the Hollywood movie studio Paramount Pictures. Paramount was a former subsidiary of Gulf and Western Industries, which Bluhdorn purchased in 1956 when it was called the Michigan Plating and Stamping Company.
Charles George Bluhdorn | |
|---|---|
| Born | Karl Georg Blühdorn September 20, 1926 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | February 19, 1983 (aged 56) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Industrialist |
| Known for | Gulf+Western |
| Spouse | Yvette M. LeMarrec |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Hatuey de Camps (son-in-law) |
By 1966, Bluhdorn had grown Gulf and Western to revenues estimated at $182 million; that year it ranked 346th in the Fortune 500 list. The company grew through acquisition, including the takeovers of Stax Records in 1968, Sega in 1969, and Simon & Schuster in 1975. Bluhdorn became known in Hollywood for his intense yet gregarious character. He appointed the reserved Frank Yablans as president of Paramount and the out-spoken Robert Evans as head of production, an uneasy and ill-matched team that eventually oversaw the release of hit films The Godfather (1972), The Godfather Part II (1974), and Chinatown (1974).
He died suddenly in 1983 aged 56.