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Eric R. Pleskow
| Eric R. Pleskow | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Erich Pleskoff |
| Born | 24 April 1924 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 1 October 2019 Westport, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Nativity | Austria |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Known for | President of United Artists and Orion Pictures |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 32899187 |
| Rank | Private First Class |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 27 (5 February – 5 April 1945) |
| Section | 5A |
| Enlisted | New York City, New York |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Eric Pleskow (born Erich Pleskoff; April 24, 1924 – October 1, 2019) was an Austrian-born American film producer and executive. From 1973 through 1978, Pleskow was president of United Artists. Following a protest from Transamerica Corporation, Pleskow co-founded and later ran Orion Pictures in 1978 through 1991. In his later career, he served as president of the Vienna International Film Festival from 1998 until his death.
Biography
Eric Pleskow (born Erich Pleskoff; April 24, 1924 – October 1, 2019) was an Austrian-born American film producer and executive. From 1973 through 1978, Pleskow was president of United Artists. Following a protest from Transamerica Corporation, Pleskow co-founded and later ran Orion Pictures in 1978 through 1991. In his later career, he served as president of the Vienna International Film Festival from 1998 until his death.
Born Erich Pleskoff in Vienna, he was the son of Jewish merchants. After the Anschluss and the following Aryanization of their apartment, the family emigrated to the United States in 1938.
In 1943, he was conscripted into the United States Army. His training in Military Intelligence at Camp Ritchie makes him one of the Ritchie Boys. After World War II, Pleskow returned to Austria and guided five interrogations during denazifications.
In 1951, he went to work for United Artists as a foreign department executive in their New York City office and moved to South Africa (1952) and Germany (1953-8) before becoming continental manager in Paris (1958–62). but soon became the president and CEO after Picker left UA that year. Under his presidency at United Artists, the company won the Academy Award for Best Picture three years in a row: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Rocky (1976) and Annie Hall (1977).
In 1978, Pleskow along with many executives from United Artists, formed Orion Pictures as a protest due to the constant interference from parent company Transamerica Corporation in the running of United Artists. He became chairman but resigned July 1, 1992. Their greatest successes under his management were Amadeus (1984), Platoon (1986), Dances with Wolves (1990) and The Silence of the Lambs (1991) which all won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He also greenlit Little Man Tate (1990) and The Addams Family.
Pleskow died on October 1, 2019, in Westport, Connecticut, at the age of 95.
Research notes
- Made film for Army
- https:/S6727/www.youtube.com/watch?v=knzP_N-ZvbQ
- Film producer; President, United Artists; three Oscar awards
- Portrait and summary from Notable Ritchie Boys slides (source).
Gallery
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Technical record
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 95 |
| Nara ASN | 32899187 |
| Nara Name | PLESKOW ERIC R |
| Nara State | 23 |
| Nara County | 61 |
| Nara POE | 2364 |
| Nara DOE | 290443 |
| Nara Grade Alpha | PVT |
| Nara Grade Code | 8 |
| Nara Branch Alpha | NO |
| Nara Branch Code | 2 |
| Branch | No branch assignment |
| Nara Term or Enlistment | 5 |
| Term of enlistment | Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law |
| Defer. Date | 0 |
| Nara Source | 0 |
| Nara Nativity | N2 |
| Nara Year of Birth | 24 |
| Nara Race | J |
| Nara Race Description | White not yet a citizen |
| Nara Education | 5 |
| Nara Civilian Occupation | 6 |
| Nara Marital Status | 1 |
| Nara Height (inches) | 66 |
| Nara Weight (lbs) | 122 |
| Class_ASN | 32899187 |
| Class_Name | PLESKOW, Eric R. |
| match_method | asn_exact_name_exact |
| row_source | both |
Sources
- Wikipedia: Eric Pleskow
- Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
- Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
- NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
- 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)