16 Facts About Al Lichtman

Alexander Lichtman was a film salesman, occasionally working as a film producer.

Al Lichtman proposed the process of block booking to Adolph Zukor, which became industry standard practice.

Al Lichtman's parents were Joseph Lichtman and Pepe Zuckermandel.

The family emigrated to the US when Al Lichtman was 10 but his parents died within the next 3 years.

Al Lichtman started work as an usher at a burlesque house in New York and later joined the circus and gave monologues for Gus Sun's Gus Sun Time before joining Powers Motion Pictures Co.

Two years later, he left to form his own distribution company, Alco Films, however it entered bankruptcy a year later when his partner absconded with most of the assets so Al Lichtman rejoined Zukor to form Artcraft Pictures.

Artcraft was later merged with Paramount and others into Famous Players-Lasky with Al Lichtman becoming general manager.

Al Lichtman suggested to Zukor that the studio produce 52 films a year and that they introduce a block booking system to sell all their product to exhibitors as a bundle, which became industry practice.

Al Lichtman rejoined United Artists as sales manager in 1926 and, following the death of Hiram Abrams, Lichtman was made vice president in 1927, heading domestic distribution.

Al Lichtman was promoted to president of the company in 1935, but resigned after only a few months due to a fallout with Sam Goldwyn over the production of Barbary Coast.

Al Lichtman helped reorganize MGM and closed the deal with David O Selznick to release Gone With the Wind and oversaw a successful period at the studio.

Al Lichtman was an executive producer on The Wizard of Oz.

Al Lichtman left MGM in 1949 due to poor health caused by his asthma but was persuaded to join 20th Century Fox in 1950 and became head of distribution and stayed there until his retirement in 1956 due to ill health.

Al Lichtman returned to Fox as a producer a year later, producing The Young Lions which was released after his death.

Al Lichtman died at his home in Los Angeles, California, following a coronary occlusion.

Al Lichtman has a "Star" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.