Al Lichtman — From Rags to Riches

A small Hungarian town in the Tokaj wine region with less than 2,000 inhabitants, Monok is known as the birthplace of Lajos Kossuth, Hungarian statesman and freedom fighter who led the country during the Revolution of 1848-49. Small as it is, it also gave Alexander ”Al” Lichtman to the world on April 9, 1888, who played an instrumental role in shaping the creation of Hollywood and ended up amongst the greatest film personalities of all times.

Born as Lichtmann Sándor as the son of Joseph Lichtman and Pepe (Josephine) Zuckermandel, his family emigrated to the United States when he was still a child. A few years later, he lost both of his parents and needed to learn how to fend for himself. He had multiple jobs before becoming a burlesque house usher, only to eventually start selling lobby frames advertising the bills at theaters.

Just like the United States was a melting pot of various nations, Hollywood became a meeting point for Hungarians leaving the Old World behind. Lichtman met Adolph Zukor and worked with him at Paramount Pictures before becoming a field manager for Zukor at Famous Players. Later, he created his own company, Alco Films, which went bankrupt after his partner stole money. Creditors took over and Alco was renamed Metro Pictures, the predecessor of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Lichtman and Zukor’s paths kept intersecting during these years and he presented the idea of block booking to Zukor, which then became a new industry standard.

Many titles followed: president at Preferred Pictures, sales manager and president at United Artists, after which he became a movie exec and then vice president at MGM for 14 years. In 1937, already as VP of MGM, he returned to his birthplace for a visit. It was also during these years that he helped release ”Gone with the Wind” (1939) and ”The Wizard of Oz” (1939). Eventually, he joined 20th Century Fox and became head of distribution, during which time he played a crucial role in developing CinemaScope.

Businessman, salesman, film producer, distributor, and even actor – he was a truly multifaceted film personality. He was known among his peers as someone who knew everything in connection with movie screenings and sales, and there were no questions he did not know the answer to immediately. It is no wonder that he was ”perhaps the greatest film salesman in the history of the business”, according to Variety.

Due to his failing health, he took a step back from business at the end of the 1940’s but only truly retired from 20th Century Fox in 1957. He died in 1958 in Westwood, California – the Los Angeles neighborhood famous for renowned university UCLA – but his memory lives on with his ”star” resting on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

On April 14, 2023, the Hungarian Hollywood Council and the Municipality of Monok held a commemorative event at the Monok Cultural Center to honor the 135th anniversary of his birth in the village where he was born. Lichtman came from nothing but joined the ranks of other great self-made men who showed the world just how far hard work, determination, talent and creativity will get you. A birthday is the perfect time to remember this.