Samuel Z. Arkoff(1918-2001)
- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Actor
By the early 1950s, future movie mogul Samuel Z. Arkoff was a brash
30-ish lawyer scratching out a living by representing his in-laws and
the Hollywood fringe, which included many of now infamous
director/angora-clad transvestite
Edward D. Wood Jr.'s social
circle. As a shark, Arkoff was physically imposing and capable of
scaring the snot out of anyone who opposed him. One of his penny ante
clients was Alex Gordon, a
screenwriter who had submitted an unsolicited script to Realart
Pictures, an outfit that was profitably re-releasing 20-year-old
movies, often under new titles conjured up by its owner,
Jack Broder. One such film,
Man Made Monster (1941), had
just been re-issued as "The Atomic Monster", coincidentally the same
title of Gordon's screenplay. Arkoff, smelling blood in the water, paid
Broder a visit and, incredibly, obtained a $500 settlement. Broder's
sales manager, James H. Nicholson,
was dumbfounded by Arkoff's ability to extract a dime, let alone $500,
out of his notoriously tightfisted boss. He met with Arkoff and
proposed a partnership, which led to the formation of American
Releasing Corp. in 1954. The company's first release was
Monster from the Ocean Floor (1954),
a low-budget feature by 29-year-old producer'Roger Corman'. Made
for less than $50,000, it netted $850,000 and Corman was brought into
the fold as a silent partner. By 1955 the company was renamed
American-International Pictures, generally known as AIP in the
industry. Initially focusing on westerns on the premise that shooting
on location was cheaper than renting space in a studio. Although the
films were profitable, Arkoff was unhappy with the returns and
solicited theater owners for advice on what types of films filled
seats.
By the mid-'50s, thanks to television, movie audience numbers had
dwindled considerably, with the key demographic now teenagers and young
adults, who craved horror movies and, especially, drive-ins (where they
could gather together without their parents). AIP jumped into the
horror genre with both feet and made a fortune. Under the aegis of
Nicholson and Arkoff, the company survived in a constricting industry
by catering to the whims of the teenage trade and adapting to trends.
AIP's long (350-plus) roster of kitsch classics, running the gamut from
horror to
rock-'n'-roll, from juvenile delinquency to Italian muscle men and from
Edgar Allan Poe
to Annette Funicello, have formed
their own unique niche in film history. His company became infamous for
clever advertising schemes that were often more entertaining than the
films themselves. Arkoff never tolerated egos and his films were more
often than not profitable, thanks to tight budgets and a clear
understanding of the company's target market. After Nicholson's 1972
resignation, Arkoff assumed full control of the company and remained in
charge until the 1979 merger with Filmways prompted his own departure.
He then became the head of Arkoff International Pictures.
30-ish lawyer scratching out a living by representing his in-laws and
the Hollywood fringe, which included many of now infamous
director/angora-clad transvestite
Edward D. Wood Jr.'s social
circle. As a shark, Arkoff was physically imposing and capable of
scaring the snot out of anyone who opposed him. One of his penny ante
clients was Alex Gordon, a
screenwriter who had submitted an unsolicited script to Realart
Pictures, an outfit that was profitably re-releasing 20-year-old
movies, often under new titles conjured up by its owner,
Jack Broder. One such film,
Man Made Monster (1941), had
just been re-issued as "The Atomic Monster", coincidentally the same
title of Gordon's screenplay. Arkoff, smelling blood in the water, paid
Broder a visit and, incredibly, obtained a $500 settlement. Broder's
sales manager, James H. Nicholson,
was dumbfounded by Arkoff's ability to extract a dime, let alone $500,
out of his notoriously tightfisted boss. He met with Arkoff and
proposed a partnership, which led to the formation of American
Releasing Corp. in 1954. The company's first release was
Monster from the Ocean Floor (1954),
a low-budget feature by 29-year-old producer'Roger Corman'. Made
for less than $50,000, it netted $850,000 and Corman was brought into
the fold as a silent partner. By 1955 the company was renamed
American-International Pictures, generally known as AIP in the
industry. Initially focusing on westerns on the premise that shooting
on location was cheaper than renting space in a studio. Although the
films were profitable, Arkoff was unhappy with the returns and
solicited theater owners for advice on what types of films filled
seats.
By the mid-'50s, thanks to television, movie audience numbers had
dwindled considerably, with the key demographic now teenagers and young
adults, who craved horror movies and, especially, drive-ins (where they
could gather together without their parents). AIP jumped into the
horror genre with both feet and made a fortune. Under the aegis of
Nicholson and Arkoff, the company survived in a constricting industry
by catering to the whims of the teenage trade and adapting to trends.
AIP's long (350-plus) roster of kitsch classics, running the gamut from
horror to
rock-'n'-roll, from juvenile delinquency to Italian muscle men and from
Edgar Allan Poe
to Annette Funicello, have formed
their own unique niche in film history. His company became infamous for
clever advertising schemes that were often more entertaining than the
films themselves. Arkoff never tolerated egos and his films were more
often than not profitable, thanks to tight budgets and a clear
understanding of the company's target market. After Nicholson's 1972
resignation, Arkoff assumed full control of the company and remained in
charge until the 1979 merger with Filmways prompted his own departure.
He then became the head of Arkoff International Pictures.