Jerrold Wexler
Jerrold Wexler | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 27, 1924 Chicago, Illinois,U.S. |
| Died | November 10, 1992(aged 68) |
| Education | Northwestern University(BA) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Spouses | Lolly Lurie
(m.1946;div.1968)Susan Jeanne Metzger
(m.1969) |
| Children | 5; includingTanya |
| Relatives | Haskell Wexler(brother) Jeff Wexler(nephew) Mark Wexler(nephew) |
Jerrold Wexler(June 27, 1924 – November 10, 1992) was a noted American businessman and film producer. He was the brother of cinematographerHaskell Wexlerand the stepfather of actressDaryl Hannah.[1]
Early life and education[edit]
Wexler was born to aJewishfamily[2]inChicago,the son of Lottie and Simon Wexler, and attendedNorthwestern University.[3]His father founded the Columbia Radio Corporation in 1921[4]and theAllied Radio Corporationin 1928. Allied Radio was an American radio manufacturer and retailer, which sold radio sets, tubes, capacitors, amateur radio equipment, citizen's band (CB) radios, and consumer audio systems through retail stores and beginning in 1962, also via mail-order.[5]In 1970, Allied Radio was purchased by theTandy Corporation,the parent company ofRadio Shack.[5]His brother was cinematographer, film producer, and directorHaskell Wexler.
Business ventures[edit]
By his early 30s, he was building a reputation for financing monumentalskyscrapers,including400 East Randolpha luxury apartment building in Chicago's Loop. With his father's help, he brokered the construction of the Executive Plaza Hotel onWacker Drive[6](now known as Hotel 71).[7]
In 1979 he, along with his business partner Edward W. Ross, purchased theDrake Hotel.[8]The Drake was successfully nominated for theNational Register of Historic Placesin 1980. In 1983, Wexler's Jupiter Industries, which had interests in thePlayboy Building,Lake Point Tower,Michigan Avenuereal estate, dozens of Chicago hotels, and property holdings in bothNew York CityandLos Angeles,savedGoldblatt'sfrom bankruptcy.[9]Jupiter also developed the Vista International Hotel at theWorld Trade Center,later known as theMarriott World Trade Center,which was destroyed in theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks.[3]He was known for pioneering new development areas; the Executive Plaza was the first hotel in Chicago in decades, and the Vista was the first hotel in downtown Manhattan for decades. He also built theOuter Drive Eastdevelopment in Chicago, which expanded the downtown into an industrial and shipping area in decline.[3]
When Bertram Lee failed to come up with his ten percent share to purchase theNational Basketball AssociationDenver Nuggetsin 1989,Peter Bynoerecruited Jerrold Wexler andJay Pritzkerto keep the deal alive. The group held an interest in the team until 1992 whenCOMSATbought outDrexel Burnham Lambert,Bynoe and his partners.[10]In addition to his business interests, he was a very active political contributor.[11]In addition, he served on the board of trustees of the John Austin Cheley Foundation.[12]
Personal life[edit]
In 1946, Wexler married Lolly Lurie; they had four children: Susan Wexler Piser; Jane Wexler Feil; Diane Wexler Grant; and Judith Wexler Gigliotti.[13]They divorced in 1968.[citation needed]In 1969, he married Susan Jeanne Metzger, with whom he had one child: film directorTanya Wexler.[13][14]He has three stepchildren from his marriage to Metzger: actressDaryl Hannah,Donald Hannah, and actressPage Hannah Adler.[13][15]
Death and legacy[edit]
In November 1992, Wexler died oflymphomaat theStanford HospitalinPalo Alto,California.[16]In 1993, he was inducted posthumously into the Chicago Association of REALTORS Hall of Fame.[17]
His estate continued to sell off his business interests for several years after his death.[18][19]
In 2003, theUnited StatesNational Film Preservation Boardadded the 1969 filmMedium Cool,co-produced by Jerrold and Haskell Wexler, to theNational Film Registry.[20]
References[edit]
- ^"Daryl Hannah: Jerrold Wexler".Lycos Inc. 2007. Archived fromthe originalon July 7, 2007.RetrievedNovember 7,2007.
- ^Cutler, IrvingThe Jews of Chicago: From Shtetl to Suburbp. 177
- ^abcBruce Lambert (November 12, 1992)."Jerrold Wexler, 68; Chicago Developer Who Built Empire".The New York Times.RetrievedNovember 12,2007.
- ^Radio Museum: "History of the radio manufacturer: Allied Radio Corp. (Knight, Roamer, Wextark); Chicago (IL)"retrieved April 25, 2015
- ^abVintage Amplifiers Collectors Magazine: "Knight | Allied Radio Corporation | Chicago Illinois"ArchivedSeptember 29, 2015, at theWayback Machineretrieved April 25, 2015
- ^"Business and Technology section".Time Magazine.Time Inc. February 11, 1957. Archived fromthe originalon September 11, 2005.RetrievedNovember 8,2007.
- ^"Hotel 71, Chicago".Emporis.Archived fromthe originalon February 23, 2007.RetrievedNovember 12,2007.
- ^"Press Kit 2007"(PDF).thedrakehotel.com. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on November 13, 2006.RetrievedNovember 7,2007.
- ^"JG Industries, Inc".fundinguniverse.com.RetrievedNovember 7,2007.
- ^"Denver Nuggets".fundinguniverse.com.RetrievedNovember 7,2007.
- ^"CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION SEARCH (individual donations of $200 or more since 1978): JERROLD WEXLER » IL » 60611".Archived fromthe originalon June 4, 2011.RetrievedNovember 8,2007.
- ^"Organization".John Austin Cheley Foundation. October 1, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon June 7, 2007.RetrievedNovember 9,2007.
- ^abcCrain's Chicago Business: "HEIR-SPLITTING" By Betsy WangensteenMarch 24, 1997
- ^Chicago Tribune: "Filmmaker and Lincoln Park native Tanya Wexler on her romantic comedy 'Hysteria'" by Nina MetzMay 24, 2012
- ^Chicago Tribune: "Jerrold Wexler Partner Sues In Wake Of Ouster - Jupiter Coup Spawns A Bitter Asset Battle" By J. Linn AllenMarch 29, 1996
- ^Lambert, Bruce (November 12, 1992)."Jerrold Wexler, 68; Chicago Developer Who Built Empire".New York Times.RetrievedNovember 7,2007.
- ^"Hall of Fame Chicago Association of REALTORS".Chicago Association of REALTORS. Archived fromthe originalon August 20, 2007.RetrievedNovember 9,2007.
- ^"Capri Capital Buys Washington Capital".Nielsen Business Media, Inc. March 16, 1999.RetrievedNovember 9,2007.
- ^Lloyd, Fonda Marie (February 1995)."Active transport: king of the road, deal makes AT the largest black-owned vehicle transport company - Active Transportation Inc. acquires Jupiter Transportations Systems Inc".Black Enterprise.FindArticles. Archived fromthe originalon October 12, 2008.RetrievedNovember 9,2007.
- ^"National Film Registry 2003".Library of Congress. December 16, 2003.RetrievedNovember 8,2007.
