Marvin Davis

2025-10-26T21:48:20Z

2600:6C4A:427F:A9F5:61DD:B9A2:EECB:EC94: /* 20th Century Fox and later career */

{{Short description|American petroleum industrialist (1925–2004)}}
{{For|the Canadian football player|Marvin Davis (Canadian football)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Marvin Davis
| image =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1925|8|31}}
| birth_place = [[Newark, New Jersey]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2004|9|25|1925|8|31}}
| death_place = [[Beverly Hills, California]], U.S.
| occupation = Businessman
| known_for = Chairman of Davis Petroleum, film mogul
| alma_mater = [[New York University]] (B.S.)
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Barbara Davis|Barbara Levine]]|1951}}
| children = 5, including [[John Davis (producer)|John]]
| relatives = [[Jason Davis (actor, born 1984)|Jason Davis]] (grandson)
}}
'''Marvin H. Davis''' (August 31, 1925 – September 25, 2004) was an American industrialist. He made his fortunes as the chair of Davis Petroleum and at one time owned [[20th Century Fox]], the [[Pebble Beach, California|Pebble Beach Corporation]], the [[Beverly Hills Hotel]], and the [[Aspen Skiing Company]].

==Early life and education==
Marvin Davis was raised in a Jewish family,<ref name="Shapiro2005">{{cite book|first=Edward S.|last=Shapiro|title=We Are Many: Reflections On American Jewish History And Identity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DGn8UMzI--8C&pg=PA116|access-date=March 15, 2012|date=2005|publisher=[[Syracuse University Press]]|location=Syracuse, New York|isbn=978-0-8156-3075-3|pages=116–}}</ref> the son of Jack Davis and Jean Spitzer.<ref name='VF1'/> He had one younger sister, Joan (born 1929).

His father came to the United States from London as a teenager in 1917 and later joined the [[British Navy]] after reportedly applying for a college scholarship but being denied it because he was Jewish.<ref name='VF1'>{{cite magazine| url=http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2005/11/davis200511|title=The Man Who Ate Hollywood|magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]] | access-date=February 19, 2012|date=November 2005|last = Seal|first = Mark|url-access = limited}}</ref> Jack Davis became a successful [[Buyer (fashion)|fashion buyer]] for New York department stores. He went on to found Jay Day Dress Co., a well-priced line of women's dresses that achieved great success, selling 200,000 dresses per-month to stores across the nation.<ref name = 'VF1'/> In 1939 he partnered with [[Ray Ryan (businessman)|Ray Ryan]], who owned the Ryan Oil Company, and they started the Davis Oil Company.<ref name='VF1'/>

Marvin graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from [[New York University]] in 1947.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Marvin Davis|url=http://host.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=60753071&privcapId=30691992&previousCapId=30691992&previousTitle=Davis%20Offshore,%20L.P|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090845/http://host.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=60753071&privcapId=30691992&previousCapId=30691992&previousTitle=Davis%20Offshore,%20L.P|archive-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref>

==Petroleum business==
[[File:Davis Oil Company stock certificate.jpg|thumb|A blank Davis Oil Company's stock certificate]]
He joined his father in the [[oil exploration]] business and was later nicknamed "Mr. Wildcatter." The Davis Oil Company drilled for oil and gas in the West beginning in the 1940s and was incorporated in 1986 as Davis Petroleum, headquartered in [[Denver]], Colorado. In 1960s–1980s, it became a leading independent oil and gas producer in the United States,<ref name="RigZone.com"/> focusing on drilling in Wyoming, where the company owned a 150-mile pipeline.<ref>Chris Welles. [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-09-26-fi-1434-story.html Oil, Real Estate and Banking Interests in Doldrums: After Fox, What's Next for Marvin Davis?], ''Los-Angeles Times'', September 26, 1985</ref>

Marvin Davis's son Gregg Davis took over as president of Davis Petroleum and Davis Offshore in 1997.<ref name="RigZone.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/17115/davis_petroleum_continues_growth_after_founders_passing/|title=Davis Petroleum Continues Growth After Founder's Passing|publisher=RigZone.com|access-date=April 22, 2021|date=October 13, 2004}}</ref>

Davis senior's partner Ray Ryan was a pioneer of the oil deal known as the "third for a quarter," where investors in a wildcat oil well would each buy one-quarter of the well's production for a third of the cost of drilling the well, leaving all costs paid and Davis and Ryan owners of one-quarter of the well.<ref name='VF1'/>

Marvin Davis developed the oil business, and also became a major real estate developer in Denver, acquiring a shopping center and office complex.<ref name='NYT'/>

Davis offered to purchase the [[Oakland Athletics]] from [[Charlie Finley]] for $12 million on December 12, 1977, with the intention of moving the franchise to Denver. The [[Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Authority]] filed a [[lawsuit]] to block the sale because Finley had ten years remaining on a [[lease]] that began with the transfer of the ballclub's operations from Kansas City for the [[1968 Oakland Athletics season|1968 season]]. Davis ended negotiations on January 23, 1978, and the Athletics remained in [[Oakland, California|Oakland]] under Finley's continued ownership.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1978/01/24/archives/as-move-to-denver-put-off-long-and-bitter-fight.html "A's Move To Denver Put Off," ''The Associated Press'' (AP), Monday, January 23, 1978.] Retrieved January 22, 2022.</ref>

In 1981, Davis sold most of his oil holdings for $600 million to the Canadian company Hiram Walker-Consumers Home, Ltd.<ref name='NYT'/> The United States Justice Department accused one of his Davis' companies of violating federal oil-pricing policies. The case was settled in 1981, with Davis paying a $20,000 fine. Business partners accused him in civil lawsuits of inflating the results of his oil wells.<ref name='NYT'/>

==20th Century Fox and later career==
In 1981, Davis acquired [[20th Century Fox]] for $722 million with financier [[Marc Rich]].<ref name="MochVirga1984">{{cite book|first1=Cheryl|last1=Moch|first2=Vincent |last2=Virga|title=The biggest, the boldest, the best deals: the world's shrewdest and most lucrative deals from business, entertainment, politics, and sports|url=https://archive.org/details/biggestboldestbe00moch|url-access=registration|access-date=February 19, 2012|date=August 29, 1984|publisher=Crown Publishers|location=New York City|isbn=978-0-517-55039-7}}</ref> Fox's assets included [[Pebble Beach Golf Links]], the [[Aspen Skiing Company]], and a [[Century City, Los Angeles, California|Century City]] property upon which he built and twice sold [[Fox Plaza (Los Angeles)|Fox Plaza]], which was made famous as "Nakatomi Plaza" in the 1988 action film ''[[Die Hard]]''. While Davis was head of 20th Century Fox, President [[Ronald Reagan]] and his wife, [[Nancy Reagan|Nancy]], complained to him about excessive sexuality in films. Reagan suggested to Davis that he produce films that implied, rather than showed, sex, in the style of director [[Ernst Lubitsch]].<ref name='VF1'/> In 1984 Davis appointed [[Barry Diller]], formerly chairman and chief executive officer of [[Paramount Pictures]], to the chairman and CEO role at 20th Century Fox. Diller asked Davis for complete control, with Davis promising to provide financing for the studio. Fox's financial situation was precarious, with the company owing $600 million.<ref name='VF1'/> Banks would not provide any extension to the loan, and Diller pressed Davis for the new equity he had promised to put into Fox. Diller claims that Davis stalled and suggested that Diller call [[Michael Milken]] for a $250 million [[High-yield debt|junk-bond]] loan, which would have been Diller's, not Davis', responsibility.<ref name='VF1'/>

By 1985, Rich was in Switzerland during an indictment that was filed against him by the United States due to his violation of sanctions against his commodity trades with [[Iran]]. Marc Rich had arranged with Davis for Davis to buy out his interest in 20th Century Fox for $116 million.<ref name="Wolff2010">{{cite book|author=Michael Wolff|title=The Man Who Owns the News: Inside the Secret World of Rupert Murdoch|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZWleLGIrwBcC&pg=PT167|access-date=February 19, 2012|date=May 5, 2010|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-1-4090-8679-6|pages=167–}}</ref> Davis sold this interest to [[Rupert Murdoch]] for $250 million in March 1984. Davis later backed out of a deal with Murdoch to purchase [[John Kluge]]'s Metromedia television stations, which would form what is now the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]].<ref name="Wolff2010"/> Murdoch went alone and bought the studios, and later bought out Davis's remaining stake in 20th Century Fox for $325 million.<ref name="Wolff2010"/><ref name='obituary'>{{cite web | url=http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2004_3rd/Sept04_MDavis.html | title=Marvin Davis Dies at 79, Former Owner of Pebble Beach Company, the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Aspen Skiing Company | publisher=Hotel Online | access-date=August 24, 2007 | date=September 25, 2004}}</ref> Davis sold Pebble Beach to Japanese businessman Minoru Isutani for $841 million in 1990. Winning a bidding war against the Sultan of Brunei, [[Hassanal Bolkiah]], Davis bought the [[Beverly Hills Hotel]] for $135 million in 1986. Davis later sold the hotel to the sultan for a $65 million profit.<ref name='VF1'/>

In 1999, Davis attempted to build a [[Proposed Los Angeles NFL stadiums#1999 expansion team plans|stadium in Los Angeles]] to lure the [[National Football League]] to award the city an expansion franchise during a 20-year span (1995–2015) when [[History of the National Football League in Los Angeles|the NFL was absent from Los Angeles]]. The expansion team ultimately went to [[Houston]] and became the [[Houston Texans]], who began play in [[2002 NFL season|2002]].

In later years, Davis was linked to takeover targets including [[Northwest Airlines]], [[US Airways]], [[CBS]], [[NBC]] and [[T. Boone Pickens]]' Mesa.<ref name="ClosingBalances">{{cite book |last=Vander Weyer|first=Martin |author-link=Martin Vander Weyer |title=Closing Balances: Business obituaries from The Daily Telegraph|year=2006 |publisher=Aurum |isbn=978-1-84513-204-0 }}</ref> A proponent of [[greenmail]], the threatening of takeover bids that never come to pass, Davis said "All you have to do is look at the pretty girl and everyone thinks you're sleeping with her. You don't have to put up any money". In 2002 a deal that was structured by Ramy El-Batrawi, Davis made an unsolicited $15 billion bid for the entertainment assets of [[Vivendi]].<ref name="ClosingBalances"/>

The [[Denver Broncos]] National Football League team was targeted by failed takeover bids from Davis.<ref name='Guardian'>{{cite web| url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/sep/28/guardianobituaries.usa?INTCMP=SRCH| title=Obituary: Marvin Davis | work=The Guardian | access-date=February 19, 2012 | date=September 28, 2004}}</ref>

==Philanthropy and political donations==
Davis was a long-time philanthropist, especially for medical research. A research building at [[Cedars-Sinai Medical Center]] in Los Angeles is named for him. The Davis's daughter Dana is a diabetic, and they founded the Children's Diabetes Foundation which hosts the biannual Carousel of Hope ball to raise money for [[juvenile diabetes]].
Davis and his wife were for many years major donors and fundraisers for the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. When President [[Bill Clinton]] failed to appear personally at the Carousel of Hope ball and instead sent a videotaped message, Barbara Davis told a reporter: "There are 25 people in our family...I told the White House person, "You are now talking to 25 new Republicans"".<ref name="ClosingBalances"/>

==Personal life==
Marvin Davis was married for 53 years to Barbara Levine. They had five children and as of November 2005, fourteen grandchildren:<ref>[http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2005/11/davis200511 The Man Who Ate Hollywood, Vanity Fair, November 2005]</ref>
*Dana Davis, a [[Diabetes mellitus type 1|Type 1 diabetic]], is an active philanthropist with a focus on diabetes. She began her career as an elementary school teacher but was forced to retire due to diabetes-related foot problems which required eight separate surgeries. Unhappy with the stylishly poor selection of shoes available for people with foot problems, she developed her own line of footwear, Dana Davis Shoes, which meshed the required comfort levels with high fashion. She is now the executive director of the Children's Diabetes Foundation.<ref>[http://www.danadavis.com/Team.html Dana Davis Shoes website: "DANA DAVIS"]. Retrieved April 3, 2013</ref>
*Gregg Davis was the President of Davis Petroleum Corp., Davis Petroleum Pipeline, and Davis Offshore, the family's former oil and gas companies.<ref>[http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/volume-102/issue-9/general-interest/point-of-view-davis-petroleum-president-touts-employees-entrepreneurial-spirit-for-private-firms-success.html Oil & Gas Journal: "Point of View – Davis Petroleum president touts employees' entrepreneurial spirit for private firm's success" By ULRICH ROTHGERBER] March 1, 2004</ref><ref>[http://www.davispetroleumcorp.com/company.html#gregg Davis Petroleum Corporation website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529132639/http://www.davispetroleumcorp.com/company.html#gregg |date=May 29, 2013 }} retrieved May 3, 2013</ref> He is the former husband of American actress [[Kim Richards]]. Davis and Richards had two children together: daughter Whitney and son Chad.<ref name="wetpaint1">{{cite web|author=Jenny McGrath |url=http://www.wetpaint.com/real-housewives-of-beverly-hills/articles/who-is-kim-richards-exhusband |title=Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – Who Is Kim Richards' Ex-Husband? |work=Wetpaint |publisher=Wetpaint.com |date=November 15, 2012 |access-date=January 27, 2013}}</ref>
*Patricia Ann Davis Raynes married New York real estate developer Martin Raynes in a Jewish ceremony in 1983.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/01/style/patty-davis-is-wed-to-martin-j-raynes.html New York Times: "Patty Davis Is Wed to Martin J. Raynes"] July 1, 1983</ref><ref>[https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2005/1031/064.html Forbes: "Honey, I Shrunk The Trust" by Dirk Smillie] October 31, 2005</ref> In 2005, Patricia sued her mother and four siblings alleging that they "looted" a trust fund set up by her paternal grandfather, Jack, who created the original Davis Oil Co. that was the foundation of the family's wealth.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aAV66NnPWaTc Bloomberg: "John Davis, Marvin's Son, Feuds With Sister Over `Looted' Fund" By Seth Lubove] October 6, 2006</ref>
*[[John Davis (producer)|John Davis]] (born 1954) is an American film producer and the founder of [[Davis Entertainment]].
*Nancy Davis Rickel, diagnosed with [[Multiple sclerosis]], is an active supporter of charities dedicated to its cure.<ref name=NYSDiary>[http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/partypictures/2004/01_12_04/partypictures01_12_04.php New York Social Diary: "Nancy Davis’ Race to Erase MS"] January 12, 2004</ref> She has been married twice. Her first husband was [[Turkish American]] wine grower, Nebil Zarif.<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/davis-jerkish-turkish-rant-article-1.215374 New York Daily News: "Davis more jerkish than Turkish in rant" By Ben Widdicombe] March 8, 2007</ref><ref>[https://realestalker.blogspot.com/2007/05/brandon-davis-daddys-crib-in-birds.html Real Estate Stalker: "Brandon Davis' Daddy's Crib in the Birds"] May 1, 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.summerlandwine.com/NebilBiloZarif Summerland Wine website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113030100/http://www.summerlandwine.com/NebilBiloZarif |date=November 13, 2013 }} retrieved May 3, 2013</ref> They had three children: Brandon Davis, Alexander Davis and actor [[Jason Davis (actor, born 1984)|Jason Davis]].<ref name="obituary"/> Her second husband is entrepreneur Ken Rickel.<ref name=NYSDiary /><ref>[http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=6513157&privcapId=6566129&previousCapId=632091&previousTitle=Tamar%20Technology%20Ventures BusinessWeek: "Executive Profile – Kenneth D. Rickel"]{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}. Retrieved May 3, 2013</ref> They have twin daughters: Isabella and Mariella.<ref>[http://pmc-mag.com/2011/12/nancy-davis/ PMC Magazine: "Spotlite SOCIAL ACTIVIST – A Profile of NANCY DAVIS" By Jeffrey Slonim] December 2011</ref> She is also the godmother of [[Nicole Richie]].<ref name="obituary"/>

Friend [[Aaron Spelling]] loosely based the Carrington family of his TV series ''[[Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty]]'' on the Davises, even filming an episode at their Colorado home.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theocshow.com/news/news_06.htm|title=Celeb life imitates soaps|publisher=TheOCshow.com|access-date=August 24, 2007|date=May 16, 2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823045401/http://www.theocshow.com/news/news_06.htm|archive-date=August 23, 2007}}</ref>

In 1984, the Davises purchased ''The Knoll'', a 45,000-square-foot house in Beverly Hills from [[Kenny Rogers]], where they hosted lavish Christmas parties.<ref name='VF1'/>

In 1993, Davis and his wife were robbed of $10 million of jewels and $50,000 cash by masked gunmen while on holiday in the south of France.<ref name='NYT'>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/26/obituaries/26davis.html|title=Marvin Davis, Oil and Entertainment Mogul, Dies at 79|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=February 19, 2012|date=September 26, 2004}}</ref>

Davis was identified with his towering stature, measuring {{convert|6|ft|4|in}} tall. He was known for his large appetite, with Fox executive [[Alan Hirschfield]] saying that Davis "was the poster boy for everything you shouldn't eat"; he weighed over {{convert|300|lb}} for much of his adult life, though he lost about {{convert|130|lb}} as his health failed in his final years.<ref name = VF1/><ref name = NYT/>

==Death and aftermath==
In Davis's last decade, he experienced a series of ailments, including [[diabetes]], [[heart disease]], a spinal tumor, [[pneumonia]], and [[sepsis]], and he died at The Knoll on September 25, 2004, at the age of 79.<ref name = VF1/><ref name = NYT/> He was interred in the [[Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery]] in Los Angeles.

===Family disputes over estate===
Davis' eldest daughter, Patricia Davis Raynes, sued her four siblings, her mother, and several of the family's advisers, alleging that they had all helped her father to systematically steal her trust fund before his death.<ref name='VF2'>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2009/11/postscript-200911 | title=Postscript | magazine=Vanity Fair | access-date=February 19, 2012 | date=November 2009}}</ref> Her lawsuit alleged that Marvin had entrapped and beaten Patricia in an attempt to get her to sign documents giving him control over her finances.<ref name='VF2'/> Patricia Davis later settled with all 14 parties named in her complaint, and the case was closed in January 2008. By the conclusion of Patricia Davis' case, sister Nancy Davis had taken her brother Gregg to court over the sale of Davis Petroleum, in March 2006.<ref name='VF2'/>

Nancy Davis alleged that her brother and his partners vastly undervalued the company and thereby denied her (and her mother and siblings) of as much as $50 million in proceeds.<ref name='VF2'/> Lawyers for Gregg Davis deny the allegations. The Texas bankruptcy court that had originally approved the deal to sell Davis Petroleum ruled in favor of Gregg and his partners, then a district-court judge dismissed Nancy's appeal. As of 2009 the case had bounced back to the bankruptcy court.<ref name='VF2'/>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Marvin}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:20th Century Studios people]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:21st-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:American billionaires]]
[[Category:American businesspeople in the energy industry]]
[[Category:American film studio executives]]
[[Category:American people of British-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American philanthropists]]
[[Category:American socialites]]
[[Category:Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Newark, New Jersey]]
[[Category:California Democrats]]
[[Category:California Republicans]]
[[Category:Davis family|Marvin]]
[[Category:Polytechnic Institute of New York University alumni]]

Vero - Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

Marvin Davis