{"product_id":"moguls-isbn-9780806543086","title":"Moguls","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe sensational, lurid, and wickedly entertaining true story of the brothers who invented Hollywood to become the godfathers of cinema—movie moguls Nicholas and Joseph Schenck—studded with glamorous stars, scandals, mobsters, murders, and one legendary blonde bombshell . . .\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey were the Godfathers of the Movies. Groundbreaking pioneers of the Hollywood Dream Factory, Joseph and Nicholas Schenck may not have been household names like the Warner brothers or Louis B. Mayer, but they were infinitely more powerful, influential—and ruthless. A pair of Russian immigrants with giant ambitions, the Schencks turned their small nickelodeon business in New York’s Bowery into a partnership with Loew’s movie theaters and a controlling interest in three major studios: MGM, Twentieth Century-Fox, and United Artists. They painted the silver screen silver, laid the foundations for the all-powerful studio system, and ruled a global movie empire from their Gatsby-sized mansions on the East and West Coasts. The Schencks had become moguls.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTheir story is the stuff of legends—and their scandals are among the greatest stories Hollywood never told. This riveting, behind-the-scenes account reveals the surprising truth about:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e* The union-busting Mob deal that landed Joe Schenck in federal prison for four months on tax evasion charges, including deductions for a ménage à trois.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e* The cutthroat and merciless political maneuvering that defined the Hollywood studio heads.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e* The lurid murder charges against silent film star “Fatty” Arbuckle—whose legal defense was paid for by Joe Schenck.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e* Joe’s secret infatuation with Marilyn Monroe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e* The brothers’ ingenious creation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Oscars—and indomitable control over the entire film industry.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the earliest days of silent films and the swinging era of the Roaring Twenties, through the Golden Age of the studio system and the patriotic call of World War II, to the Red Scare paranoia of the McCarthy years, the history of the Schenck brothers is the story of Hollywood itself—and the enduring power of the American Dream. \u003ci\u003eMoguls\u003c\/i\u003e is a must-read for film fans, history buffs, and anyone who loves the movies.\u003cb\u003ePraise for MOGULS\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e“The book you are holding is a whirlwind tale, a roller-coaster ride through Hollywood history. Its cast of characters includes names such as Chaplin, Keaton, Valentino, Talmadge, and Monroe, lest we forget Hitler and Luciano. It’s got chills, thrills, romance, comedy, intrigue, and danger; it’s equal parts \u003ci\u003eThe Last Tycoon\u003c\/i\u003e and Horatio Alger, except this story is real. Hell, somebody should make a movie out of this.” \u003cb\u003e—Terence Winter, writer and producer of \u003ci\u003eThe Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire\u003c\/i\u003e, and\u003ci\u003e The Wolf of Wall Street\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This illuminating book sheds light on brothers at least as influential as the Warners, but lesser known in cinematic popular culture.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for Michael Benson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“From indoctrinating youth camps to jack-booted rallies promoting Adolf Hitler, pre-World War II America was threatened by the rise of Nazism. \u003ci\u003eGangsters vs. Nazis \u003c\/i\u003eis a must-read, eye-opening account that brings to life the violent struggle between these home-brewed storm troopers and an army of unlikely patriots; gangs of fist-swinging Jewish mobsters willing to break bones and crack heads in order to turn back the Nazi menace.” \u003cb\u003e—Larry Alexander, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eBiggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, the Man Who Led the Band of Brothers\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I read it in one sitting, and you will too. Highly recommended.” \u003cb\u003e—L. Douglas Keeney, author of \u003ci\u003e15 Minutes: General Curtis LeMay and the Countdown to Nuclear Annihilation \u003c\/i\u003eon \u003ci\u003eGangsters vs. Nazis\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Benson tells this little-known chapter of American Jewish history well and with passion. The prose is colorful and direct.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eNew York Journal of Books \u003c\/i\u003eon \u003ci\u003eGangsters vs. Nazis\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Michael Benson’s nonfiction masterpiece \u003ci\u003eGangsters vs. Nazis\u003c\/i\u003e reads like speculative fiction at its very best, even though the incidents the book portrays are very much real. . . . One of the most rivetingly relevant reads I’ve ever encountered, chock-full of real-life heroes and villains who are every bit the match for the best that thriller fiction has to offer.” \u003cb\u003e—Jon Land, \u003ci\u003eThe Providence Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, on \u003ci\u003eGangsters vs Nazis\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“It is a colorful tale. It reads in many places like a mid-20th century Jimmy Cagney movie or Mickey Spillane novel come to life. It occurs in the same settings and the author uses the Runyonesque language of the genre. The mobsters deal out knuckle sandwiches and whack foes on the noggin. At one point Benson urges readers to think of one team as \u003ci\u003eThe Dirty Dozen\u003c\/i\u003e with some Yiddish thrown in.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eRicochet\u003c\/i\u003e on \u003ci\u003eGangsters vs. Nazis\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Told in a colorful, Runyonesque style, the tale is about one of the strangest campaigns of the late 1930s. It shows how the Jewish American community organized to fight the German American Bund and other fascist groups in the United States in the years prior to America’s entry into World War II. To break up Nazi rallies and bust heads, the community enlisted Jewish gangsters, the author claims—not ‘good guys’ protecting the American way. This is a fascinating and entertaining read.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe Epoch Times\u003c\/i\u003e on \u003ci\u003eGangsters vs. Nazis\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Benson is a master of true crime.” \u003cb\u003e—Robert Scott on \u003ci\u003eGangsters vs. Nazis\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eCarmine the Snake\u003c\/i\u003e, written in a conversational style with street vernacular and sprinkled with Frank DiMatteo’s personal anecdotes and reminiscences, offers another look at the infamous crime boss.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe Washington Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e“The authors give a detailed account of the suspected assassins . . . Don’t shy away from discussing Gallo’s flaws . . . Fans of true crime and Mafia stories will appreciate the insider’s look at the figures and neighborhoods that comprised New York Mob life in the 20th century.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e on \u003ci\u003eMafia Hit Man\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThe President Street Boys\u003c\/i\u003e is nothing like any other Mafia-related book I’ve ever read. I loved this book. I will be reading it again in the future. The level of detail is so high, to me, it requires multiple passes to absorb it all.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eCrimespree Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“At times, this book is unsettling. Other times, it’s humorous. No matter what part you're reading, it’ll remain a tour-de-force.” \u003cb\u003e—Criminal Element on \u003ci\u003eThe President Street Boys\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This title will please Mafia fans looking for gruesome details.” \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e on \u003ci\u003eLord High Executioner\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eMichael Benson\u003c\/b\u003e is the acclaimed author of nonfiction history and crime books, including \u003ci\u003eGangsters vs. Nazis\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHollywood vs. Nazis\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eEvil Season\u003c\/i\u003e, and\u003ci\u003e Betrayal in Blood\u003c\/i\u003e, as well as \u003ci\u003eMoguls\u003c\/i\u003e, co-authored with Craig Singer. He is also one of America’s most accomplished and popular Mafia experts, having co-authored numerous books on the subject, including \u003ci\u003eCarmine the Snake\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Mafia Hit Man\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLord High Executioner\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRed Hook\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e Carlo Gambino\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eOlive Oil King \u003c\/i\u003ewith Frank DiMatteo and \u003ci\u003eMafia Secrets \u003c\/i\u003ewith Gianni Russo\u003ci\u003e. \u003c\/i\u003eHe is a regular commentator, appearing on numerous radio and television shows such as \u003ci\u003e20\/20\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eOn the Case with Paula Zahn\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eDeadly Sins \u003c\/i\u003eon the ID: Investigation Discovery channel. A recipient of the Academy of American Poets Award, he can be found on Facebook at \/AuthorMichaelBenson.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCraig Singer\u003c\/b\u003e is an Emmy-nominated director. His most recent theatrical film, \u003ci\u003e6:45\u003c\/i\u003e, has earned him multiple awards, including Best Feature, Paris Independent Film Festival; Best Feature, Hollywood on the Tiber Film Awards; Best Horror Feature, Hong Kong Indie Film Festival; and Best Director, Catalina Film Festival. He was nominated for an Emmy in the interactive fiction category in 2008 and his series have been honored many times by the Tellys and Webbys. He is the co-author, with Michael Benson, of \u003ci\u003eMoguls\u003c\/i\u003e.","brand":"Citadel","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46299874459877,"sku":"NP9780806543086","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780806543086.jpg?v=1767732879","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/moguls-isbn-9780806543086","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}