Arnold M. Picker (September 29, 1913 – October 11, 1989) was a United States film industry executive, mayor of Golden Beach, Florida and the number one enemy on

Nixon's Enemies List "Nixon's Enemies List" is the informal name of what started as a list of President of the United States Richard Nixon's major political opponents compiled by Charles Colson, written by George T. Bell (assistant to Colson, special counsel to th ...

Early life and education

Picker was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. He had two brothers, Eugene Picker (father of David Picker) and Sidney Picker. He was of

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

descent. Picker attended the

City College of New York The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a Public university, public research university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York ...

and the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...

Career

Picker began his career by following in his father's footsteps. In 1935, he started with

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

, where his father had been an executive, and later became head of international distribution. He then joined

United Artists United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...

where his nephew, future UA president

David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...

worked, and in 1961 he was made an executive vice president in charge of all production. His brother Eugene joined UA the same year. His motion picture career ended and political career began when President

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served a ...

named him to the International Commission on Education and Cultural Affairs. In 1972, Picker served as the finance chairman of Senator

Edmund Muskie Edmund Sixtus Muskie (March 28, 1914March 26, 1996) was an American statesman and political leader who served as the 58th United States Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter from 1980 to 1981, a United States Senator from Maine from 1 ...

's presidential campaign and in 1976 he worked as a top fundraiser for

Henry M. Jackson Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson (May 31, 1912 – September 1, 1983) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. representative (1941–1953) and U.S. senator (1953–1983) from the state of Washington (state), Washington. A Cold W ...

's campaign. Picker was singled out by President

Richard M. Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 36th vice president under P ...

's reelection strategists as the top target of a list of 20 people on

. This list came to light during the

Watergate scandal The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the Presidency of Richard Nixon, administration of President Richard Nixon. The scandal began in 1972 and ultimately led to Resignation of Richard Nixon, Nix ...

. Picker was elected mayor of Golden Beach, Florida, in 1979. Although his career in the motion picture industry ended in the 1960s, Picker continued to be an active force in the field. He helped establish the Washington-based

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...

. He later served as chairman of the board of the National Center for Jewish Film. The center at Brandeis University is dedicated to restoring Yiddish film classics. He also helped found the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center based at

Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Westchester, Florida, United States. Founded in 1965 by the Florida Legislature, the school opened to students in 1972. FIU is the third-largest univ ...

Personal life

In 1957, he married Ruth Cohen; they had two daughters, Carol Picker Frank and Phyllis Picker Dessner. Picker died of pneumonia at New England Deaconess Hospital in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

References

External links

Eulogy by Charles Schumer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Picker, Arnold 1913 births 1989 deaths Deaths from pneumonia in New York City Mayors of places in Florida Nixon's Enemies List Jewish American people in Florida politics American film producers American film studio executives People from Miami-Dade County, Florida