Max Fried-         Home Page

This was written by MAXI who sadly passed away on November 8th, 2009! He will always be with us!!!

 

On my birthday, October 9, 1927, I started in the film industry as an office boy for Warner Brothers and Vitagraph Pictures, which was a few days after the opening of “THE JAZZ SINGER.”  I was promoted as a booker in 1928.  During 14 years with the company, I was a member of their Dramatic Club and appeared in five plays directed by the head of their Brooklyn Studio.  I also pitched for their baseball team.  Every Christmas Warner Brothers sponsored a Christmas Party for underprivileged children.  I dressed up in a clown’s suit at the party and entertained the kids. 

In 1939, the bookers from film companies and theatre chains decided to form the MOTION PICTURE BOOKERS CLUB.  I was very active in creating the club with 29 charter members.  I served the club twice as President for the years 1956-1957 and again in 1965.  As a member of the Board of Directors, I chose and  chaired twenty-two theatre parties.  Among them were Desperate Hours, Sweet Bird of Youth, Mame, five Neil Simon hits, La Cage au Folle, Cats, and Phantom of the Opera.  I also chaired many luncheons and installations.  After several years, the attendance at the dinners dwindled.  In an effort to generate more interest in these dinners, Marvin Friedlander, Ralph Donnelly and I came up with the idea of presenting a movie actor with a “STAR OF TOMORROW” award.  Dustin Hoffman, who appeared in “THE GRADUATE” was the first recipient of this award.  The dinner was a smashing success.  This idea resulted in our Installation and Award Luncheon becoming the hottest ticket in town.

The club created the Academy Award Sweepstakes Drive for the benefit of the Will Rogers Memorial Fund.  My wife and I were sales chairmen for eleven years and distributed 14,000 tickets each year throughout the country.  The sold tickets and money were returned to us, where we assorted them to determine the winners of the various prizes offered.

In 1942 I went to work for Century Circuit Theatres as a booker and buyer and by 1948 I joined Liggett-Florin, a buying and booking chain.  In 1952 I was Vice-President in charge of booking and buying for J. J. Theatres who sold out in 1955 at which time I rejoined the Liggett-Florin office.  In 1975 I went into business as the sole owner of Maxi Cinema Enterprises, booking and buying for independent theatres, which is still in operation.

 

Max Fried

In addition I was raffle chairman for the Motion Picture Club golf outings.  For the past 19 years I was Executive Director of the club and will serve in the same capacity in the year 2009. 

As an active officer of this organization, I instituted a Life Insurance policy for members and was reporter and editor of the monthly “Cinemascoop” publication.

I have been a Charter member and past president of CINEMA-RADIO-TV UNIT OF B’nai B’rith.  I have also been on the Board of Directors for Variety - The Children’s Charity and now am serving as President Council for Variety.

 

 

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