William Goetz (March 24, 1903 – August 15, 1969) was an American Hollywood film producer and studio executive.
Born to a Jewish working class family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Goetz was the youngest of eight children. His mother died when he was ten years old and shortly thereafter his father abandoned the family. Raised by older brothers, at the age of twenty-one he followed some of his brothers to Hollywood where he found work as a crew han...
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William Goetz (March 24, 1903 – August 15, 1969) was an American Hollywood film producer and studio executive.
Born to a Jewish working class family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Goetz was the youngest of eight children. His mother died when he was ten years old and shortly thereafter his father abandoned the family. Raised by older brothers, at the age of twenty-one he followed some of his brothers to Hollywood where he found work as a crew hand at one of the large studios. After a few years, he began doing production work and in 1930 was made an associate producer at Fox Films. That same year he married Edith Mayer (1905-1987), daughter of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio head Louis B. Mayer – who at first was less than enthusiastic at the idea. Nevertheless, the marriage worked and they remained together for life.
In 1932, Goetz received the financial support necessary from his new father-in-law to become a minor partner with Joseph Schenck, the former president of United Artists, and...
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