Cohn, Harry

Cohn, Harry

(born July 23, 1891, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died Feb. 27, 1958, Phoenix, Ariz.) U.S. film producer and cofounder of Columbia Pictures. He worked for a film distributor before cofounding C.B.C. Film Sales Co. (1920), later named Columbia Pictures Corp. In 1932 he became president of the company, which he built into a major studio. Though he came to epitomize the ruthless philistine movie mogul, he was credited with discovering many stars, including Rita Hayworth, and promoting such directors as Frank Capra.

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Cohn, Harry (1891–1958) movie executive; born in New York City. After a youth filled with odd jobs, including a short-lived vaudeville act with composer Harry Ruby, he became the personal secretary to Carl Laemmle, founder of Universal Pictures. In 1920, Cohn and his brother Jack Cohn (1889–1956) and Joseph Brandt started their own company, which in 1924 became Columbia Pictures. Regarded as ruthless and vulgar, Harry Cohn ruled the studio in a way that inspired fear and hatred, while personally developing stars like Rita Hayworth. Although he came to be known as "White Fang," he made Columbia Pictures one of the most successful studios.