Robert H. O'Brien (1907–1997) was a businessman and Hollywood executive who was president of

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

during the 1960s. He took over the position in the wake of the debacle of ''

Mutiny on the Bounty The mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship from their captain, Lieutenant William Bligh, and set h ...

'' (1962). Under O'Brien's regime, in partnership with head of production

Robert M. Weitman Robert M. Weitman (1905–1989) was an American film, TV and theatre producer and studio executive. For a number of years he was a leading executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, being head of production during a successful period in the 1960s under pr ...

, MGM produced its last run of classic films, including '' Dr Zhivago'' (1965), ''

The Dirty Dozen ''The Dirty Dozen'' is a 1967 American war film directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Lee Marvin with an ensemble supporting cast including Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, George Kennedy, Ralph M ...

'' (1967) and '' 2001: A Space Odyssey'' (1968). A series of flop films such as '' The Shoes of the Fisherman'' and '' Ice Station Zebra'' saw him removed from his position as president in 1969. He was replaced by Louis F. Polk Jr. and was instead appointed chairman. In May 1969 as MGM was headed towards a $6 million loss for the first half of the year, O'Brien resigned as chairman and was replaced by

Edgar Bronfman, Sr. Edgar Miles Bronfman (born June 20, 1929 – December 21, 2013) was a Canadian-American businessman. He worked for his family's distilled beverage firm, Seagram, eventually becoming president, treasurer and CEO. As president of the World Jewish ...

, the largest shareholder of MGM.

Awards

*1965 – Pioneer of the Year (Motion Picture Pioneers Assn) *1966 – humanitarian awards from both the March of Dimes and the Anti-Defamation League

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:OBrien, Robert 1907 births 1997 deaths American film studio executives Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer executives 20th-century American businesspeople