Arkoff is the co-founder (with James H. Nicholson) of American International Pictures and has served as producer or executive on over 200 of the low-budget exploitation films--monster movies, motorcycle films and beach-party pictures geared to the teenage audience--that made the studio famous. Arkoff also gave fresh talent such as Francis Ford Coppola ("Dementia 13" 1963), Martin Scorsese ("Boxcar Bertha" 1972) and Woody Allen ("What's Up, Tiger Lily?" 1966) the opportunity to direct some of their early feature films. In 1980, he sold AIP and formed his own companies, Samuel Z. Arkoff Pictures and Arkoff International Pictures. Arkoff wrote his memoirs, "Flying Through Hollywood by the Seat of My Pants" in 1992. His son, Louis, is also a producer.
- Born:
June 12, 1918 in Fort Dodge, Iowa, USA
- Died:
September 16, 2001.
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Job Titles:
Executive, Producer, Cryptographer
Family
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Daughter: Donna Arkoff Roth. married to executive and director Joe Roth
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Son: Louis Arkoff.
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Son-in-law: Joe Roth.
Education
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Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, law, 1948
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University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Milestones
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1950 Began producing career with TV s The Hank McCune Show (NBC)
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1952 Suffered a cerebral hemorrhage; recovered after spending a week in a coma
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1954 Co-founded American Releasing Corp. with James H Nicholson; first released film The Fast and the Furious , directed by Roger Corman
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1955 Company name changed to American International Pictures (AIP)
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1957 AIP released I Was a Teenage Werewolf , starring Michael Landon
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1960 With House of Usher starring Vincent Price, AIP began series of adaptations based in part on the writings of Edgar Allen Poe
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1963 Enjoyed success with the teen beach movie Beach Party , starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello
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1966 AIP released the English-language dubbed version of What s Up, Tiger Lily? with dialogue by Woody Allen
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1966 Moved into highbrow fare releasing Fellini s La Dolce Vita
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1972 AIP released Boxcar Bertha , helmed by Martin Scorsese, and Sisters , directed by Brian De Palma
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1973 First association between John Milius and AIP, Dillinger
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1980 AIP released Mad Max , featuring Mel Gibson (although dialogue was re-dubbed to eradicate Australian accents)
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1980 Formed Samuel Z Arkoff Company (president and chairman)
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1981 Formed Arkoff International Pictures (president)
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1993 Received star Number 1973 on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 14
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2000 Signed deal with HBO allowing remakes of five AIP films
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During WWII, served in the US Air Force as a cryptographer
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Raised in Fort Dodge, Iowa