Twentieth Century-Fox

Twentieth Century-Fox
20th Century Studios · Public domain · source
Name	Twentieth Century-Fox
Type	Film studio
Founded	1935
Founders	William Fox; Joseph Schenck; Darryl F. Zanuck
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Industry	Motion pictures

Twentieth Century-Fox

Twentieth Century-Fox was a major American film studio founded in 1935 that became a dominant force in Hollywood, competing with studios such as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures, RKO Radio Pictures and Warner Bros. while producing films that won Academy Awards and shaped popular culture alongside figures like Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, Howard Hawks and Frank Capra. The studio's executives and producers, including Darryl F. Zanuck, Joseph Schenck, Spyros Skouras and Barry Diller, navigated industry shifts involving the Hollywood studio system, the United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. case, the rise of television in the United States and corporate consolidation exemplified by deals involving News Corporation, 21st Century Fox and The Walt Disney Company.

History

Twentieth Century-Fox formed through the merger of Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures during the Great Depression, an era that also saw mergers like those affecting RKO Pictures and leadership changes involving figures such as William Fox, Joseph Schenck and Darryl F. Zanuck. In the 1940s and 1950s the studio produced musicals and epics starring performers such as Shirley Temple, Betty Grable, Marlon Brando and James Dean while competing with releases from 20th Century Studios contemporaries including United Artists and Columbia Pictures. Twentieth Century-Fox adapted to postwar challenges including the Paramount antitrust case and technological shifts such as widescreen formats pioneered by studios like CinemaScope proponents and promoted by executives in league with distributors like Kimball and National General Pictures. During the 1960s and 1970s the studio released landmark films associated with directors Elia Kazan, Stanley Kubrick, Roman Polanski and Alan J. Pakula, while corporate control shifted through transactions involving conglomerates such as Marvin Davis and later Rupert Murdoch. In the 1980s and 1990s Twentieth Century-Fox navigated blockbuster competition characterized by films from Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, James Cameron and strategic partnerships with producers like Jerry Bruckheimer. The 21st century brought further consolidation as News Corporation restructured into 21st Century Fox and ultimately led to acquisition by The Walt Disney Company, a move comparable to earlier media consolidations involving Time Warner and Viacom.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

Corporate governance at the studio changed frequently, involving corporate entities and personalities such as Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Century Pictures, News Corporation, 21st Century Fox and The Walt Disney Company; executives who influenced strategy included Darryl F. Zanuck, Spyros Skouras, Barry Diller, Rupert Murdoch and Robert Iger. Ownership transactions paralleled other major media deals like the mergers of Time Warner with AOL and the acquisitions by Comcast; regulatory review by bodies analogous to the Federal Communications Commission and scrutiny reminiscent of United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. shaped corporate decisions. The studio’s boardroom interactions involved studios and financiers comparable to Paramount Pictures stakeholders, investment firms such as Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and media conglomerates exemplified by Viacom and Bertelsmann.

Film Production and Distribution

Production practices blended in-house development with independent producers such as Samuel Goldwyn, David O. Selznick, Howard Hughes and Walt Disney, while distribution networks connected to exhibitors similar to Loew's Incorporated and chains like AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas. Twentieth Century-Fox participated in international distribution deals across markets including United Kingdom, France, Japan and China, collaborating with partners like Gaumont, Toho and CJ Entertainment and negotiating rights with agencies analogous to Motion Picture Association of America. The studio adopted technological innovations also used by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Paramount Pictures, including color processes utilized by pioneers such as Technicolor and sound systems advanced by companies related to RCA. Marketing strategies employed stars like Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Meryl Streep and Harrison Ford and leveraged franchises comparable to those of Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Notable Films and Franchises

The studio’s slate included musicals and dramas starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire and later blockbuster franchises and tentpoles analogous to Star Wars and Jurassic Park releases, with signature properties that featured talent such as Ridley Scott, James Cameron, Francis Ford Coppola and Irvin Kershner. Iconic titles associated with the studio era include films that competed for Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards alongside works from Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., and franchises that eventually intertwined with corporations like Lucasfilm and Marvel Entertainment. The studio released critically acclaimed and commercially successful films involving auteurs like Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Paul Thomas Anderson and David Fincher and nurtured franchises that entered ancillary markets such as home video led by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and streaming platforms akin to Netflix and Hulu.

Studios and Facilities

Physical production took place on studio lots and sound stages in Hollywood, Burbank, Century City and other Los Angeles sites, neighboring facilities operated by RKO Studios, MGM Studios and Universal Studios. The studio’s backlots and technical departments worked alongside vendors such as Panavision, Eastman Kodak, Dolby Laboratories and post-production houses comparable to Technicolor Creative Services. International production utilized locations in London, Rome, Vancouver and Sydney and partnered with studios like Pinewood Studios, Cinecittà and Shepperton Studios.

Category:American film studios