462:, in the 1950s. He was a tireless executive who was once dubbed "The Mad Austrian of Wall Street." He maintained his position as chairman of Gulf and Western Industries until his death. Although he lived in the United States from the age of 16 onward, he was infamous (and widely imitated) for his cement-thick Austro-German accent, which has been lampooned in interviews by former collaborators such as
31:
374:
and 300,000 acres (1,200 km) of land. Nearly half of the land was used to produce sugar cane and, at the peak of the cane-cutting season, the company employed 19,000 people, making it the country's largest private employer as well as the largest taxpayer and landowner. Gulf and
Western acquired
444:
village was completed. The project (which was financed by Gulf and
Western) began in 1976, when a stone mountain had to be blasted for the construction of a nearby road. Bluhdorn had the idea of using the stones to re-create a sixteenth-century style Mediterranean village, similar to some of the
321:
and the acquisition was encouraged by
Paramount's head of publicity, Martin S. Davis. It was during Gulf and Western's ownership of Paramount that it went from being number nine at the box office based upon total receipt sales, to number one. After the marketing success of
386:
As Gulf and
Western had purchased Paramount in 1966, Bluhdorn had plans to turn the island into a moviemaking mecca. To sell the idea he constantly invited producers, directors, writers and movie stars, to get them to appreciate the natural beauty of the country.
382:
In 1969, the
Dominican government and Gulf and Western Americas Corporation established an industrial free zone in La Romana. The zone was administered by Gulf and Western America's Operadora Zona Franca de La Romana subsidiary.
449:
of Santo
Domingo. The village was designed by former Paramount Pictures set designer Roberto Copa. Bluhdorn's daughter, Dominique Bluhdorn, is the current president of the Altos de Chavón Cultural Center Foundation.
560:
The
Charles G. & Yvette Bluhdorn Charitable Trust was a multi-million dollar charity overseen by their children. Between 2007 and 2013, the fund was spent down, and as of 2019 lists less than $ 3,000 in assets.
369:
In 1967, Gulf and
Western paid $ 54 million for the South Puerto Rico Sugar Company. Most of the company's operations were in the Dominican Republic, where it owned the extensive Central Romana sugar mill in
286:, in 1970 Bluhdorn had told him: "Imagine, twelve years ago I was walking the streets selling typewriters door to door." Apart from Gulf and Western, Bluhdorn was a director and major shareholder of
222:: "truth be told, Charlie wasn't elucidative about a lot of things, including whether he was Jewish, which he kept Hollywood guessing about by posting a sentry outside the men's room door."
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was dedicated to
Bluhdorn, "who inspired it." His tumultuous relationship with Paramount executive Robert Evans was documented in Evans's 1994 biographical book
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and invested a significant amount of resources into its social and economic development. He is credited as being the father of the
Dominican tourism industry.
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in memory of Bluhdorn. It is awarded annually to an undergraduate majoring in economics who has demonstrated outstanding scholastic ability.
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241:, he was considered such a "hellion" that his father sent the 11-year-old to an English boarding school for disciplining. At 16, he moved to
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as president of the studio and Robert Evans as head of production. Together they oversaw the studio in its heyday, releasing such hits as
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cigar-making operations to La Romana. It also created Corporación Financiera Asociada (Cofinasa), a Dominican finance company.
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By 1966, Bluhdorn had grown Gulf and Western to revenues estimated at $ 182 million; that year it ranked 346th in the
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in 1975. Bluhdorn became known in Hollywood for his intense yet gregarious character. He appointed the reserved
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In 1956, Bluhdorn acquired Michigan Plating and Stamping, a small auto parts company that eventually grew into
800:
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489:, during his first pilgrimage to the Dominican Republic, Bluhdorn proposed an idea he had for a picture: a
406:, was hired to do interior design for Casa de Campo. De la Renta also licensed his men's wear line through
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During the 1970s, Gulf and Western developed 7,000 acres (28 km) of the sugar mill's land into the
434:
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as head of production, an uneasy and ill-matched team that eventually oversaw the release of hit films
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Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather By Mark Seal, page 40
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sequel set in Cuba, in which Castro hits the winning home run (he also proposed a film in which
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Bart, Peter. "Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, the Mob (and Sex)" NY: Weinstein Books, 2011
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402:– Teeth of the Dog, Dye Fore, and Links. One of Bluhdorn's Dominican friends,
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142:; September 20, 1926 – February 19, 1983) was an Austrian-born American
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list. The company grew through acquisition, including the takeovers of
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533:. Among those who attended were friend and former Secretary of State
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Bluhdorn was a friend of former president of the Dominican Republic
350:. In 1974, Bluhdorn stepped down as chairman of Paramount and hired
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and in the 2002 film of the same title, as well as the 2022 series
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257:, earning $ 15 a week. Other accounts say that he emigrated to the
30:
525:. His private funeral services were held at St. Mary's Church in
975:"El día que Pelé enloqueció el Estadio Olímpico de Santo Domingo"
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resort. Casa de Campo is home to three internationally renowned
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1055:"Charles G. Bluhdorn, the Head of Gulf + Western, Dies at 56"
901:"El pleito entre empresarios dominicanos y la Gulf + Western"
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702:
646:"Charles G. Bluhdorn, the Head of Gulf + Western, Dies at 56"
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Consolidated Cigar Corporation in 1968 and later shifted its
146:. He built his fortune in auto parts and commodities such as
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872:"In Business: Foundry Acquires Pennsylvania Malleable Iron"
174:
147:
1112:"Charles G & Yvette Bluhdorn Charitable Trust IRS 990"
1000:"Notes; A NEW ART VILLAGE RISES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC"
846:"The Leadership Legacy Of Hollywood Boss Charlie Bluhdorn"
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666:
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established the Charles G. Bluhdorn Prize in Economics at
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Bluhdorn was very aware of the financial potential of the
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Holdings of Gulf and Western were blue-chip names such as
623:
The Leadership Legacy Of Hollywood Boss Charlie Bluhdorn
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in Santo Domingo. The soccer game was sponsored by the
740:"Kid Stays In the Picture, The: Who Is Robert Evans?"
943:
941:
939:
481:, which lasted for around seven hours. According to
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218:Details of his upbringing are vague; according to
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509:On February 19, 1983, Bluhdorn died aged 56 of a
458:Bluhdorn married Yvette M. LeMarrec, formerly of
1222:
261:in 1942 and served in the U.S. Army Air Forces.
237:mother Rosa Fuchs and father Paul Blühdorn. Per
1153:. No. 2, 079. 5 July 1969. pp. 34–38.
765:"Gulf & Western Bids for A. & P. Stock"
309:, as well as less glamorous assets such as the
1149:"Some Glitter is Gone at Gulf & Western".
1082:"Charles G. Bluhdorn Prize in Economics, 1983"
639:
637:
513:on his corporate jet while returning home to
185:as president of Paramount and the out-spoken
1169:. Vol. 72, no. 36. pp. 82–91.
1181:The Rise and Fall of the Conglomerate Kings
634:
1261:American people of Austrian-Jewish descent
612:, June 3, 2011. Retrieved October 11 2023
317:. Paramount was suggested to Bluhdorn by
278:, a conglomerate that ranked 61st in the
947:
850:The Berlin School Of Creative Leadership
631:, May 7, 2015. Retrieved October 11 2023
440:In the early 1980s, construction of the
253:. In 1946, Bluhdorn went to work at the
1256:Austrian emigrants to the United States
158:. Paramount was a former subsidiary of
1223:
1053:Blair, William G. (20 February 1983).
948:Treaster, Joseph (December 28, 1986).
477:. Bluhdorn met Castro at a meeting in
1173:
1157:
1074:
1052:
1018:"ALTOS DE CHAVON, VILLAGE OF ARTISTS"
926:"G. & W.'s Role in the Caribbean"
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732:
730:
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413:After a meeting between Bluhdorn and
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1271:20th-century American businesspeople
1266:People from Ridgefield, Connecticut
644:Blair, William (20 February 1983).
313:, Pennsylvania Malleable Iron, and
13:
1142:
950:"A DOMINICAN RESPITE FROM REALITY"
843:
727:
410:, a Gulf and Western subsidiary.
210:He died suddenly in 1983 aged 56.
16:American industrialist (1926–1983)
14:
1302:
1231:American financial businesspeople
1200:
604:Paramount Pictures, From the Peak
354:as Paramount's chairman and CEO.
1291:Presidents of Paramount Pictures
714:"Who's Who in Ridgefield CT A-F"
453:
29:
1281:City College of New York alumni
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893:
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864:
837:
811:
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583:where Bluhdorn is portrayed by
311:South Puerto Rico Sugar Company
269:
775:
757:
690:
596:
437:of Gulf and Western Americas.
1:
1276:Paramount Pictures executives
1163:"The Last Business Eccentric"
590:
213:
573:The Kid Stays in the Picture
328:in 1970, Bluhdorn appointed
239:Who's Who in Ridgefield (CT)
7:
1251:Gulf and Western Industries
1185:. New York: Stein and Day.
276:Gulf and Western Industries
160:Gulf and Western Industries
10:
1307:
1286:Columbia University alumni
473:and former leader of Cuba
445:architecture found in the
825:. Harvard Business School
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264:
122:
114:
106:
96:
86:
78:
66:
37:
28:
21:
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247:City College of New York
1236:Austrian businesspeople
1130:The Godfather: Part III
435:Central Romana division
136:Charles George Bluhdorn
23:Charles George Bluhdorn
567:The Godfather Part III
485:in his autobiography,
282:by 1981. According to
1208:"Charles G. Bluhdorn"
1086:Tufts Digital Library
819:"Charles G. Bluhdorn"
801:"People and Business"
415:Warner Communications
341:The Godfather Part II
303:Madison Square Garden
198:The Godfather Part II
1161:(16 December 1996).
1024:. November 21, 1982.
789:. November 21, 1977.
464:Francis Ford Coppola
307:Simon & Schuster
179:Simon & Schuster
1042:. November 8, 1998.
1006:. January 11, 1981.
880:. January 23, 1969.
807:. October 19, 1972.
771:. February 2, 1973.
678:"Hurricane Charlie"
292:Pueblo Supermarkets
251:Columbia University
140:Karl Georg Blühdorn
42:Karl Georg Blühdorn
1060:The New York Times
1040:The New York Times
1022:The New York Times
1004:The New York Times
954:The New York Times
930:The New York Times
805:The New York Times
787:The New York Times
769:The New York Times
650:The New York Times
523:Dominican Republic
466:and Robert Evans.
364:Dominican Republic
358:Dominican Republic
299:Paramount Pictures
294:, and Ward Foods.
156:Paramount Pictures
110:Yvette M. LeMarrec
52:September 20, 1926
674:Anson, Robert Sam
404:Oscar de la Renta
133:
132:
70:February 19, 1983
1298:
1217:
1213:Encyclopedia.com
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1088:. Archived from
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932:. June 24, 1975.
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487:Work in Progress
471:Joaquín Balaguer
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1092:on 10 June 2010
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535:Henry Kissinger
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447:historic center
442:Altos de Chavón
425:played against
423:New York Cosmos
360:
319:Sumner Redstone
315:New Jersey Zinc
272:
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255:Cotton Exchange
235:Austrian Jewish
225:He was born in
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127:Hatuey de Camps
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1167:The New Yorker
1159:Korda, Michael
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676:(April 2001).
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564:The 1990 film
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521:resort in the
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491:Bad News Bears
483:Michael Eisner
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183:Frank Yablans
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177:in 1969, and
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144:industrialist
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1094:. Retrieved
1090:the original
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1076:
1064:. Retrieved
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982:. Retrieved
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957:. Retrieved
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908:. Retrieved
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854:. Retrieved
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747:. Retrieved
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653:. Retrieved
649:
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571:
565:
563:
559:
544:
511:heart attack
508:
495:Sitting Bull
475:Fidel Castro
468:
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398:designed by
396:golf courses
389:
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368:
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352:Barry Diller
345:
339:
333:
323:
296:
284:Robert Evans
273:
270:Gulf+Western
238:
224:
219:
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209:
202:
201:(1974), and
196:
190:
187:Robert Evans
171:Stax Records
164:
139:
135:
134:
129:(son-in-law)
101:Gulf+Western
72:(1983-02-19)
1246:1983 deaths
1241:1926 births
1116:Pro Publica
1096:30 November
1036:"Top Mouse"
959:30 November
910:January 20,
749:29 November
719:29 November
683:Vanity Fair
585:Burn Gorman
531:Connecticut
431:Violette AC
408:Kayser-Roth
280:Fortune 500
220:Vanity Fair
167:Fortune 500
79:Nationality
1225:Categories
823:Leadership
744:Cinema.com
591:References
527:Ridgefield
419:Steve Ross
325:Love Story
214:Early life
87:Occupation
48:1926-09-20
984:April 20,
783:"G.&"
579:The Offer
545:In 1983,
517:from his
372:La Romana
347:Chinatown
207:(1974).
204:Chinatown
173:in 1968,
152:Hollywood
123:Relatives
1177:(1984).
852:. Forbes
400:Pete Dye
243:New York
233:, to an
195:(1972),
115:Children
82:American
655:27 July
231:Austria
60:Austria
1189:
628:Forbes
555:Boston
541:Legacy
499:Hitler
497:meets
479:Havana
344:, and
305:, and
288:Bohack
265:Career
227:Vienna
138:(born
107:Spouse
56:Vienna
1066:2 May
856:2 May
829:2 May
505:Death
460:Paris
427:Haiti
1187:ISBN
1135:IMDb
1098:2010
1068:2022
986:2023
961:2010
912:2024
858:2022
831:2022
751:2010
721:2010
657:2015
417:CEO
249:and
175:Sega
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