Jacob Fabian

Jacob Fabian (February 25, 1865 – April 24, 1941) was an American entertainment executive active in the motion picture industry, primarily through the establishment of theaters in New Jersey. He was also Vice President of Associated First National Pictures Producers, which became First National Pictures, Inc. in 1924. He was an original franchise-holder of the organization as owner of the New Jersey First National Exchange.^[1]

Fabian was born in the Austrian Empire on February 25, 1865, and came to the United States alone at the age of 17.^[1]

Fabian was engaged in the clothing business until 1914, when he entered the motion picture field and built the 2,500-seat Regent Theater in Paterson, New Jersey. He later built other theaters in Paterson and extended the chain to Newark, Elizabeth, Passaic, and other Northern New Jersey cities.^[2]

In a transaction reported to involve $1,000,000 Fabian leased the Salaam Temple property in Newark and operated the Mosque Theater there.^[1]

In March 1926, Fabian and sons acquired stock in West Coast Theatres, Inc.^[3]

By May 1926, a merger took place with the Stanley Company, headed by Jules E. Mastbaum, creating a chain of theaters from Massachusetts to Virginia called the Stanley Company of America. The Fabian chain became Stanley-Fabian under direction of the Stanley Company of America, for marketing purposes.^[4]

Following the passing of Mastbaum in December 1926,^[5] there was a $100 million merger between First National Pictures, The Stanley Company of America, and West Coast Theatres, creating the largest theater holding company in the world. During this time, a block of theaters were sold to the Warner Brothers Pictures.^[6]

In July 1928, the Stanley Company elected a new board of directors, including Fabian and his son, Simon.^[7]

By September 1928, a major merger occurred combining the assets of Warner, Stanley, First National, and the Vitaphone Corporation. These assets included First National Studio, the production facility that eventually became Warner Bros. Studios Burbank in Burbank, California. As a result of Warner Brothers acquiring one of the major film studios in First National, Warner Brothers became one of the largest producing, distributing, and exhibiting companies in Hollywood.^[8]

Although Fabian maintained a summer residence in Paterson, New Jersey, he had spent most of his time since 1929 in his home at Miami Beach. By February 1929, Fabian had resigned as Vice President of both The Stanley Company and First National Pictures. His son, Simon, took over his interests and operated a chain of theaters, including some in New York. Simon, Board of Directors at Warner Brothers, was also Vice President and General Manager of The Stanley Company of America.^[9]

Fabian was married to Rose Glascheib. He had two children, Eleanor and Simon. He died on April 24, 1941, at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City at the age of 76.^[1]

In 1953, Warner Brothers divested the theaters as a result of the Paramount antitrust decrees,^[10] with the entire portfolio being spun off into a new company created, called the Stanley Warner Corporation, headed by Simon H. Fabian. Fabian Enterprises bought the 24 percent stock interest of Jack, Harry, and Albert Warner.^[11] Simon Fabian already operated a chain of theaters from New York to Virginia with son Edward Fabian and longtime Fabian lieutenant Louis R. Golding.^[12]