Buddy Adler

E. Maurice "Buddy" Adler (June 22, 1906 – July 12, 1960) was an American film producer and production head for 20th Century Fox studios.

In 1954, his production of From Here to Eternity won the Academy Award for Best Picture and in 1956, his Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing was nominated for best picture. Adler also produced the 1956 film Bus Stop, starring Marilyn Monroe. He was head of Fox when he died in 1960.

Biography Adler was born in New York City in 1906 (some references have listed his birth year as 1908 or 1909) with "Buddy" as his childhood nickname. His family ran a small chain of department stores and Adler did advertising copy for the chain after he graduated from Pennsylvania University. He wrote the screenplay for the short documentary film Quicker'n a Wink, which won an Oscar in 1940.

During World War II, Adler served in the Signal Corps (1941–1945), ending with the rank of colonel. He was awardeed the Legion of Merit. After the war he returned to MGM as a full producer. However he left that studio in 1946.

In May 1954 Alder moved from Columbia to Fox, where he produced several films.

Head of Fox In February 1956 Adler was named as Head of Production for 20th Century Fox, replacing Darryl F. Zanuck. Zanuck had quit Fox in part because the studio would not give him a percentage of the profits. Two years into Adler's tenure he was given a nine year contract where he was given a percentage of the profits. His life was insured for $2 million. While at Fox, Adler personally produced 14 films along with running the studio, the last of which was The Inn of Sixth Happiness.

In 1957, he established the Fox Talent School, with a $1 million budget. Actors who had their first starring roles under Adler include Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Tommy Sands, Fabian, Stuart Whitman, Suzy Parker, Joanne Woodward, France Nuyen, May Britt, Bradford Dillman, Tony Randall, Barry Coe, and Diane Varsi.

Under Adler, Fox would release a combination of inhouse production and those from independent producers, notably Daryl F Zanuck, Sam Engel, Robert Lippert and Jerry Wald.

In August 1958 Adler said Fox would make 32 films at a cost of $60 million plus low budget movies made under Robert Lippert's Regal banner for release by Fox.

In August 1959 Adler announced Fox would make 54 films and had 67 people under contract.

In 1960 Adler announced a $65 million program of films, the highest for any studio in the industry.

In 1958 he received the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in motion pictures.

Death On June 15, 1960 Adler entered hospital.

After his death, Variety wrote that Adler had "had a happy blend of many values capped by a handsome personality." Selected filmography

Shorts Quicker'n a Wink (1940) - writer Columbia The Dark Past (1948) - producer Tell It to the Judge (1949) - producer No Sad Songs for Me (1950) - producer A Woman of Distinction (1950) - producer The Harlem Globetrotters (1951) - producer Saturday's Hero (1951) - producer Paula (1952) - producer Last of the Comanches (1952) - producer Salome (1953) - producer From Here to Eternity (1953) - producer 20th Century Fox Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955) - producer The Left Hand of God (1955) - producer House of Bamboo (1955) - producer Soldier of Fortune (1955) - producer Violent Saturday (1955) - producer Anastasia (1956) - producer Bus Stop (1956) - producer The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956) - producer The Bottom of the Bottle (1956) - producer The Lieutenant Wore Skirts (1956) - producer A Hatful of Rain (1957) - producer Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957) - producer The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958) - producer South Pacific (1958) - producer Films made at Fox while head of production The King and I (1956) - producer Charles Brackett The Best Things in Life Are Free (1956) - producer Henry Ephron Between Heaven and Hell (1956) - producer David Weisbart Love Me Tender (1956) - producer David Weisbert Teenage Rebel (1956) - producer Charles Brackett Oh, Men! Oh, Women! (1957) - producer Nunnally Johnson Bernardine (1957) - producer Samuel G. Engel The Wayward Bus (1957) - producer Charles Brackett Kiss Them for Me (1957) - producer Jerry Wald The True Story of Jesse James (1957) - producer Herbt Swope An Affair to Remember (1957) - producer Jerry Wald, Leo McCarey Island in the Sun (1957) - producer Daryl F. Zanuck No Down Payment (1957) - producer Jerry Wald The Way to the Gold (1957) - producer David Weisbart April Love (1957) - producer David Weisbart Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957) - producer Frank Tashlin The Three Faces of Eve (1957) - producer Nunnally Johnson Boy on a Dolphin (1957) - producer Samuel G. Engel Peyton Place (1957) - producer Jerry Wald Stopover Tokyo (1957) - producer Walter Reisch The Young Lions (1958) - producer Al Lichtman The Gift of Love (1958) - producer Charles Brackett The Barbarian and the Geisha (1958) - producer Eugene Franke Fräulein (1958) - producer Walter Reisch Mardi Gras (1958) - producer Jerry Wald Ten North Frederick (1958) - producer Charles Brackett A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed (1958) - produced Anthony Muto Rally Round the Flag, Boys! (1958) - producer by Leo McCarey The Long, Hot Summer (1958) - producer Jerry Wald In Love and War (1958) - producer Jerry Wald From Hell to Texas (1958) - producer Robert Buckner The Roots of Heaven (1958) - producer Daryl F. Zanuck A Certain Smile (1958) - producer Henry Ephron The Hunters (1958) The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1959) - producer Charles Brackett Holiday for Lovers (1959)- producer David Weisbart The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) - producer George Stevens Compulsion (1959) - producer Richard Zanuck These Thousand Hills (1959) - producer David Weisbart A Private's Affair (1959) - producer David Weisbart The Best of Everything (1959) - producer Jerry Wald The Sound and the Fury (1959) - producer Jerry Wald Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) - producer Charles Brackett Say One for Me (1959) - producer Frank Tashlin Blue Denim (1959) - producer Charles Brackett The Man Who Understood Women (1959) - producer Nunnally Johnson Hound-Dog Man (1959) - producer Jerry Wald Beloved Infidel (1959) - producer Jerry Wald The Story on Page One (1959) - producer Jerry Wald Sink the Bismarck! (1960) - producer John Brabourne Can Can (1960) - producer Jack Cummings The Story of Ruth (1960) - producer Sam Engel High Time (1960) - producer Charles Brackett Sons and Lovers (1960) - producer Jerry Wald Crack in the Mirror (1960) - producer Daryl F Zanuck Flaming Star (1960, but died a week before filming started) North to Alaska (1960, died midway through principal photography) Esther and the King (1960, greenlit before died)