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Skouras
references in “The
Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower” Columbia
University 1011 Eisenhower Mss., Spyros Skouras Corr. To WILLARD COLE RAPPLEYE September 27, 1950 Dear
Willard: In extension of our telephone
conversation, the name of the young Fordham graduate in whom my good friend
Spyros Skouras is so deeply interested is . . . I understand that this young
man has applied for entry into the Columbia College of Physicians and
Surgeons but has been rejected. Mr. Skouras believes that there may be one or
two prospective vacancies in the new class and, because of this, urges
favorable consideration for the claims of his young friend. . . . He believes
that Mr. . . is a young man of high character and very considerable ability. I do not know Mr. . . ., but I have
not only a real affection for Spyros Skouras, I have found him to be a most
public-spirited citizen devoted to our country and fully as ready to work for
America’s welfare as any native-born citizen of my acquaintance. Consequently,
I should like to see every possible consideration given to his request, but I
of course realize that students wishing to enter the Medical College must be
selected by the faculty and that our standards must be carefully preserved.
Because I understand that in your files will be found the complete scholastic
record of Mr. . . ., together with the recommendations of the Fordham
faculty, I am not sending forward to you the transcript that has been
furnished me by Mr. Skouras. But should it develop that you need more
information, I assure you that I will be glad to make further contact with
him or, if you so desire, he would be pleased to furnish, through direct
contact, anything you may need. Cordially [vol. 11, 1346–47] 1028 Eisenhower Mss. To SPYROS P. SKOURAS October 9, 1950 Dear
Spyros: I enclose a very disappointing
letter from Dr. Rappleye, Dean of Columbia’s College of Physicians and
Surgeons. As you know, the president of a great confederated university, such
as Columbia, does not interfere in the slightest degree in the selection of
students. This applies also to the dean of any particular school or college.
So, in reading Dean Rappleye’s letter, you should understand that while he
could urge sympathetic consideration of the boy’s application (as, indeed,
both of us did), he could not take issue with the decision reached by his
faculty committee. You know, without my stressing the point, how deeply
disappointed I am to send you such an answer. But I really don’t see how I
could do more for Mr. . . . than I did. With warm personal regard, Cordially [Note 3] On October 10 Skouras
thanked Eisenhower for his help. “It was not my purpose to ask any more than
that the boy get sympathetic consideration and that, it is most obvious, you
did secure for him” (EM). In a handwritten notation at the bottom of
Skouras’s letter, Eisenhower directed that it be forwarded to Rappleye. On
October 13 Rappleye would write Eisenhower that he was happy that Skouras
“understands our problems so thoroughly and that he made such a generous
response to your friendly interest in young Mr. …” (EM). [vol. 11, 1363–64] May 11, 1948. New York City. Morning
appointments with H. M. Schley; representatives of American Overseas
Aid—United Nations Appeal for Children headed by S. P. Skouras; [vol. 11, 1556] February 11, 1950. New York City.
Lunch with Mrs. Eisenhower and S. P. Skouras, followed by special showing of
the film Twelve O’Clock High. [vol. 11, 1622] September 27, 1950. New York City. […]
Telephone conversations with […] S.P. Skouras re St. Lo Church
rehabilitation; [vol. 11, 1645] NATO
and the Campaign of 1952 392 Eisenhower Mss. To CLIFFORD ROBERTS September 27, 1951 […] Charlie Yates and Mr. Danforth
came back here after the ceremony in Saint Andrews. They were accompanied by
Mr. Jones and the three of them played golf with Spyros Skouras. I, of
course, could not go out because of my burn wrist. But I thoroughly enjoyed
their visit. Both of them have winning personalities, and they seem to be
extraordinarily good friends. [vol. 12, 575] 678 Eisenhower Mss. To LUCIUS DU BIGNON CLAY February 20, 1952 […] Today Spyros Skouras had lunch with
me and took occasion to give me some of his particular slants. I listened
very carefully and ended up by telling him to get in touch with you when he
returns to the United States. He has put together a news reel of the Madison
Square Garden show that reaches back and picks up a few scenes from the
past—some of them from World War II. [vol. 13, 998] September 21, 1951. Marly-le-Roi. […]
Luncheon with C. Yates, F. Hogan, W. Danforth, S. Skouras, Trent Jones,
Alfredo Pizzoni (Italian banker), L. Bentsen, W. Lucas, and Generals Airey
and Gruenther. [vol. 13, 1569] October 1, 1951. Paris. Morning
appointments with D. MacArthur II; C. S. Dewey; S. Skouras; [vol. 13, 1570] February 20, 1952. Paris. Morning
appointments with General Schow; D. MacArthur II; General Schuyler; S.
Skouras, later joined by Mr. Eskerlli and Mr. Cornfeld. [vol. 13, 1591] March 1, 1952. Paris. […] Late
morning meetings with Ambassadors to NATO Numan Menemencioglu (Turkey) and
Panayotis Pipinelis (Greece), with S. Skouras, followed by flag raising
signaling admission to NATO of Greece and Turkey. Luncheon with Ambassadors
Menemencioglu and Pipinelis, Generals Gruenther, Coudraux, and Biddle,
Colonels Walters, Saim Yarkin, and Pipilis, Air Vice-Marshal Hudleston,
Counselor Christianos Xanthopoulos Palamas (Greek Foreign Office), and D.
MacArthur II. [vol. 13, 1593] June 12, 1952. New York. […] To #60
for reception of South Carolina delegation and appointments with Maine
Governor Frederick S. Payne; Mrs. Rose Gorr Mayes (Assistant Chair,
Republican National Committee) and M. P. Lord; S. Skouras. [vol. 13, 1610] August 28, 1952. […] Early afternoon
meeting with National Committeewomen from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, and Maryland. Meetings with George Leighty (chairman, Railway Labor
Executives Association); General Alvin Osley, Herman Laski, and others from
Missouri; S. Skouras; [vol. 13, 1621] January 2, 1953. New York City.
Morning meetings with Walter Buckner (Reynolds & Company); Sidney
Weinberg (treasurer, Citizens for Eisenhower-Nixon); H. Bonnet; Ambassador
Yeh; Webster Todd (New Jersey Republican finance chairman); S. Skouras; [vol. 13, 1636] The
Presidency: The Middle Way 1614 EM, WHCF, President’s Personal File
164 To SPYROS PANAGIOTES SKOURAS October 26, 1955 Dear
Spyros: I truly can’t tell you how much
Mamie has enjoyed the Cinemascope equipment that you installed on the Eighth
Floor at Fitzsimons Hospital. She has seen a movie almost every night, and
has had the additional fun of inviting her mother, some of her friends and
the doctors and nurses to the projections. The shows have been the best
possible therapy for her—and I am proportionately grateful to you. The doctors have assured me that one
of these days they may allow me to sit through a movie (preferably a Western,
of course). With my totally inadequate thanks
comes my warm regard, Sincerely [vol. 16, 1879–80] 1874 EM, AWF, Dulles-Herter Series To JOHN FOSTER DULLES May 11, 1956 Dear
Foster: I am enclosing, for State
Department comment, a copy of a letter from Spyros Skouras. Mr. Skouras came to see me personally
and outlined his proposal in considerably greater detail than is set forth in
his letter. He is, of course, of Greek blood, but
is a devoted and dedicated American citizen. He believes he is close enough
to the governments of Greece and Turkey to do some good as a private citizen,
providing he is assured that he is not crossing up any wires either for our
State Department or for the British Foreign Office. Incidentally, he has a
very fine standing with the British Government because of the help he gave in
the early part of World War II to publicize, in America, the British position
in that war. As ever [Notes:] 1. Skouras, president of
Twentieth Century-Fox Films, had met with Eisenhower on May 9. He offered to
ask the president of the Turkish Republic, whom he knew personally, to
withdraw from Cyprus and leave the future of the island in the hands of the
Greeks and the British (for background see nos. 1031 and 1785). Greece and
Turkey could then return to the “cordial relationship” they had before the
Cyprus question became acute—a relationship that would benefit the NATO
alliance and the free world. “Before Cyprus became a provocative issue, the people
of Turkey had resigned themselves to the abandonment of any claim to Cyprus
in the same manner that they did not claim any other area in the old Turkish
Empire,” Skouras wrote. Skouras asked the State Department to make
arrangements for him to see Prime Minister Eden regarding his proposal
(Skouras to Eisenhower, May 9, 1956, Dulles Papers, White House Memoranda
Series; see also Eisenhower to Skouras, May 11, 1956; and Eisenhower to
Skouras, May 12, 1956, both in AWF/D-H). 2. Dulles would tell Eisenhower that
he and other State Department officials had agreed to place no obstacles in
Skouras’s way. Dulles and his colleagues thought, however, that Skouras
seriously underestimated “the intensity and scope of the Turkish feeling on
the Cyprus matter” and that knowing the Turkish president would not surmount
the obstacles. “Nevertheless,” he said, “it may be helpful for Skouras to
learn the Turkish attitude first hand” (Dulles to Eisenhower, May 12, 1956,
AWF/D-H). The film executive would see Prime
Minister Eden on June 20 and Prime Minister Karamanlis of Greece early in
July. On September 10 Skouras would tell Secretary Dulles that he had been
unable to see the Turkish president or the prime minister and had found “the
Turkish attitude extremely stiff.” His attempt to convice Turkish officials
that good relations between Greece and Turkey were more important than the
Cyprus question had apparently failed, Skouras said. His trip had convinced
him that the solution to the Cyprus question was for the British to give the
island commonwealth status (see Eisenhower to Skouras, Sept. 17, 1956, AWF/D;
and State, Foreign Relations, 1955–1957, vol. XXIV, Soviet Union; Eastern
Mediterranean, pp. 381–83, 405–6). [vol. 17, 2166–67] April 9, 1953. Washington. […] Hosts
luncheon for Chancellor Adenauer. Afternoon appointments with Senator
Millikin, Congressman Chenoweth, and Leon Snyder; Advisory Committee on
Government Organization; Spyros P. Skouras (President, Twentieth
Century-Fox); [vol. 17, 2536] May 13, 1953. Washington. […] Signs
S. 2150 followed by appointments with Governor Heintzleman and Alaskan
delegation; H. E. Stassen; National Security Council session; S. P. Skouras; [vol. 17, 2615] August 10, 1953. Washington. […]
Morning appointments with Legislative Leaders; T. C. Streibert, A. M.
Washburn, and General Carroll; Ambassador Peurifoy and General Carroll;
Budget Director Hughes; S. Adams and T. E. Stephens; Republican congressional
delegation; American Museum of Immigration committee; S. P. Skouras, J.
Murphy, and L. Washburn (off the record). [vol. 17, 2632–33] October 16, 1953. Washington. Morning
appointments with Postmaster General Summerfield (off the record); General
Cutler; Bill Bangert (Republican congressional candidate) (off the record);
S. P. Skouras and Italian film star; [vol. 17, 2642] May 3, 1954. Washington. […]
Afternoon appointments with S. P. Skouras and B. M. Shanley (off the record); [vol. 17, 2677] May 9, 1956. Washington. […] News
conference, followed by appointments with S. P. Skouras; S. Adams; G. D.
Morgan. [vol. 17, 2740] September 10, 1956. Washington. […]
Appointments with G. Hauge; S. Adams and T. E. Stephens; S. P. Skouras; Arthur
Fiedler (conductor, Boston Pops Orchestra), Robert Rogers (Executive
Director, Committee of Arts and Sciences for Eisenhower), Howard Hanson
(President, National Music Council), and S. Adams; L. W. Hall. [vol. 17, 2762] The
Presidency: Keeping The Peace 209 EM, AWF, Administration Series To JOHN HAY WHITNEY June 20, 1957 Personal Dear
Jock: Herewith a file of correspondence
which consists of: Letter dated May 24, 1957 from Spyros
Skouras to Archbishop Makarios; Letter dated May 24, 1957 from George
V. Allen to Spyros Skouras; Letter dated June 14, 1957 from
Spyros Skouras to me; My letter of today to Mr. Skouras. Frankly, I think that in this case
Spyros Skouras, whom I like and whose opinions I normally respect, is
shooting wide of the mark when he thinks there is anything you could properly
do to “facilitate” the Archbishop’s reception in London. I send you this file more as an
indication of the thinking of certain individuals about the matter in
general, rather than to imply any thought that you should take any action in
the situation. Give my love to Betsey. As ever [Notes] 1. For background on Skouras,
president of Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, see Galambos and van Ee,
The Middle Way, no. 1614; on the
Cyprus situation see nos. 78 and 91. After the British had released
Archbishop Makarios from detention in the Seychelles in March, Skouras had
written the Greek Prime Minister to suggest that Makarios visit Britain “in
order to win British public opinion to a greater understanding of the Cyprian
situation” (Skouras to Eisenhower, June 14, 1957, AWF/A, Whitney Corn).
Skouras also urged Makarios to give more attention to British public opinion. 2. According to Allen, U.S.
Ambassador to Greece, Makarios believed that a visit to London could “help
bring about a more favorable atmosphere, provided the way can be paved for
him to do so effectively” (ibid.). 3. Responding to Skouras, the
President said that he saw no way that “any American—even our Ambassador” could
facilitate Makarios’s reception in London (Eisenhower to Skouras, June 20,
1957, AWF/D; see also Skouras to Eisenhower, July 2, 1957, WHCF/PPF 164). 4. For developments see no. 236. [vol. 18, 269–70] 236 EM, WHCF, President’s Personal File
164 To SPYROS PANAGIOTES SKOURAS July 10, 1957 Personal Dear
Spyros: This refers again to your
suggestion that the American Ambassador in London might be useful in assuring
“acceptance” of Archbishop Makarios there, if that dignitary should make a
visit to Great Britain. Through personal correspondence with the Ambassador I
have learned a bit more of the situation. So far as I can tell, the existing
prospects for an early composition of the whole difficulty are not too
bright. Those who are friends of Britain, Greece and Turkey will continue to
strive for an equitable solution acceptable to all, but I fear that the
release of Makarios did not have the really important effect that many of us
had hoped for it. Ambassador Whitney suggests that if
you should be going through London any time, he would be glad to give you a
briefing as he understands the situation. With warm regard, As ever [Notes] 1. For background see no.
209. 2. Ambassador Whitney had told
Eisenhower that a recent attempt by Makarios to deal directly with the
British government about the Cyprus issue had been rebuffed. This development
had “blocked off any early visit of the Archbishop to London, postponed a
renewal of even indirect discussions and dissipated the British hopes for
cooperation from Makarios which had induced his release from detention.”
Public opinion was less sympathetic to the archbishop, Whitney added, and
official opinion “has tended to support the Turks, who view Makarios with
deep suspicion …” (Whitney to Eisenhower, July 2, 1957, AWF/A). Skouras would reply that it was
“regrettable that the prospects are not good for solution of the Cyprian
problem or for rebuilding the good relationship which existed between Greece
and Turkey and which the people of the United States did so much to bring
about” (July 18, 1957, same file as document). For developments see no. 488. [vol. 18, 302] 413 EM, AWF, Administration Series To SHERMAN ADAMS October 29, 1957 Dear
Sherm: As you know, Spyros Skouras is
trying to publicize a few of our younger Republicans by keeping them on the
news reels whenever they attend some ceremony or function. In addition to
those we now have on the list, would you please speak to Mr. Rogers and Mr.
McElroy, asking each to give Mr. Skouras an appointment if he should ask for
it. I suggested to Mr. Skouras that he add these two names to his list. As ever [Note] 1. The President had met with
Twentieth-Century Fox President Skouras earlier this same day. Skouras’s
company made Movietone newsreel films, which were shown with feature motion
pictures in theaters. [vol. 18, 524–25] 1738 EM, AWF, DDE Diaries Series To SPYROS PANAGIOTES SKOURAS December 19, 1960 Dear
Spyros: I cannot tell you how grateful I am
for your suggestion that you build at the Gettysburg farm a Preview Room for
the showing of films. If we are to go further with the
idea, I think we shall have to have a meeting, because I would have to decide
on such things as location and so on. I am not certain that there exists now
a room in which the project could be carried out. In any event it would be
nice to talk to you about it. If you would call either Mrs. Whitman or Mr.
Stephens, a date could be easily set up. Of course if the whole installation
should become one demanding a major effort, we would, I think, have to
reconsider the matter. Thank you again for the
thoughtfulness of your generous suggestion. With best wishes to you and yours for
a fine holiday season, and with warm personal regard, Sincerely [Notes] 1. Twentieth Century Fox
President Skouras had made the offer in a letter of December 13 (AWF/A). He
said he wanted to provide the President with this form of “richly deserved”
relaxation so that he could “continue to enjoy the pleasure of viewing our
films, as well as those of other companies throughout the world.” 2. The President would meet with
Skouras at the White House on December 27 and again on January 13. 3. The room would not be built, and
the Eisenhowers would view films shown from a reel-to-reel projector on a
portable screen at their home in Gettysburg (Communication from Carol
Hegeman, National Park Service, July 14, 2000, EP). [vol. 21, 2207–8] May 17, 1957. Washington. […] Morning
appointments with General Goodpaster; Henry R. Luce; J. C. Hagerty;
Ambassador Norman Robertson (from Canada) and H. Charles Spruks (Acting Chief
of Protocol); J. C. Hagerty; Ambassador Taylor; W. J. Hopkins; S. Adams; S.
P. Skouras; Secretary Dulles; General Goodpaster. [vol. 21, 2315] October 29, 1957. Washington.
Appointments with […] S. P. Skouras. [vol. 21, 2355–56] May 13, 1958. Washington. Morning
appointments with […] S. P. Skouras, Edmund Reek (Vice-President, Movietone
Newsreels), and T. E. Stephens; [vol. 21, 2392–93] May 26, 1958. Washington. […]
Practices golf on south lawn. Views film on defense modernization with S. P.
Skouras (off the record). [vol. 21, 2396] January 6, 1959. Washington. […]
Morning appointments with […] S. P. Skouras; [vol. 21, 2445] April 28, 1959. Washington. […]
Morning appointments with Legislative Leaders; G. Gray; Archbishop Iakovos,
T. Pappas, and S. P. Skouras; T. Pappas and T. E. Stephens; [vol. 21, 2472] June 30, 1959. […] Afternoon
appointments with Major J. S. D. Eisenhower; T. E. Stephens; S. P. Skouras
(off the record); [vol. 21, 2488–89] Publisher:
Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001 |