| Leo Feist | |
|---|---|
Leo Feist, from the article, Leo Feist Celebrates 25th Business Anniversary, The Music Trade Review (journal), pg. 44, Sept. 23, 1922 |
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| Born | 1869 |
| Died | June 21, 1930 (aged 61) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Executive |
Leopold Feist (b. 1869, New York - d. 21 June 1930, Mount Vernon, New York) founded and ran a music publishing firm bearing his name that, in the 1920s, was among the seven largest publishers of popular music in the World.[1]
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As evidence of size of his firm, Leo Feist, Inc., was one of seven defendants named in a 1920 Sherman antitrust suit brought by the US Justice Department for controlling 80% of the music publishing business.[2] The seven defendants were:
My Blue Heaven, written by Walter Donaldson (music) in collaboration with George Whiting (lyrics), became the biggest song in the history of Leo Feist, Inc. Gene Austin recorded it (Victor 20964), selling over five million copies, and Eddie Cantor plugged it in vaudeville and in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1927. It sold over five million copies of sheet music.[3]
In 1935, five years after the death of Leo Feist, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquired a controlling interest in the capital stock of Leo Feist, Inc.[4]
In a pseudo-secret ceremony, Leopold Feist married Bessie Meyer June 24, 1904.[5]
Felix F. Feist (15 Jul 1883 – 15 Apr 1936), Leo's brother, was a sales executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Felix Ellison Feist (28 Feb 1910 – 2 Sept 1965) — a film and television director — was the son of Felix F. Feist. Felix Ellison Feist, as stepfather, adopted Raymond E. Feist.