12.22
Who died on this date:
On December 22, 1979, legendary director/ studio executive Darryl F. Zanuck died. He was born on September 5, 1902 in Wahoo, Nebraska. He played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of its longest survivors. He earned three Academy Awards during his tenure. In 1933 he founded 20th Century Films, releasing material through United Artists. In 1935 he bought out Fox studios, which became 20th Century Fox. Zanuck was vice-president of this new studio and took an interventionist approach, closely involved in editing and producing. In the 1950s, he withdrew from the studio to concentrate on independent producing in Europe. He returned to control of Fox in 1962, but became involved in a power struggle with the board and his son from around 1969. In May 1971 Zanuck was finally forced from “his” studio. Zanuck died on December 22, 1979 from cancer in Palm Springs, California. He is buried at Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles.
