““The potential sale of WBD does not sit well with me,” Jack Warner’s grandson, filmmaker and producer Greg Orr, tells The Hollywood Reporter. Orr wants to see Warner Bros. continue as a standalone company “with its own voice and decision making.” He agrees with Zaslav’s idea to split Warner and Discovery but wishes the board and shareholders”, — write: www.hollywoodreporter.com
“The industry stands at a crossroads and Netflix does too,” the Warner Bros. scion elaborates to THR. “It would be buying the deep assets of WB, which includes a successful creative management team and an unmatched theatrical distribution arm. Netflix would have to enlarge the idea of itself as not just a streaming pioneer, but a steward of a very worthy and necessary theatrical experience. Watching a screen at home is convenient and pleasurable, but it’s not the same as watching a shared screen in a movie theater. And in this world of fewer shared experiences and growing isolation, being with others in a dark theater seems a necessary resource for our mental health.”
The biggest question, for Orr and many others who are fond of Warner Bros. history, is “What’s the company for?” When Paramount was the frontrunner, Orr noted David Ellison’s “enthusiasm for movies” as he personally enjoyed several Skydance productions. However, Orr adds, “I wish him great success, but I’d urge him to make a success of one studio before trying to buy another.”
Orr’s film, Jack Warner: The Last Mogulshould be instructive to anyone looking to get into the studio game. Orr’s father, William Orr, was the head of Warner Bros. television, which found a rocky start as Jack Warner did not believe in the future of TV as much as his older brother, Harry, did.
Following the 1948 sweeping antitrust decrees, Hollywood studios sold off their theater chains. Harry Warner knew he had to fill the gap, so he angled to purchase KLAC-TV in Los Angeles. Harry was willing to spend a cool million dollars for KLAC and its affiliates. The FCC needed to weigh in, of course. Harry released a statement to get ahead of any antitrust discussion. “We are not planning to create a monopolistic television network,” wrote the mogul, “we are limiting our television station applications to just three cities – Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.” One purpose was to have a venue for smaller films and documentaries or to give their already exhibited films a longer lifespan.
The goal was not monetary, but instead focused on reach and educational potential, something Harry championed since the early days of movies. Harry was deeply motivated by “the use we can make of this great means of communication for the good of all mankind.”
The 68-year-old Warner wanted to use his “age and experience in this hectic world of today to do the things that may make it a better world to live in. Through television I hope to make this contribution.” The Warner/KLAC acquisition was ultimately blocked by the FCC and with Harry nearing retirement, he did not pursue the cause further. His younger brother, Jack, was a reluctant convert to the television era and offloaded TV duties to his son-in-law, William Orr.
“I believe an investment in an American media legend like Warner Bros. should be more than just a financial consideration,” Greg Orr says of the sale plans, “There are more profitable stocks for that. Owning a share in the studio that made Casablancaand so many iconic movies and TV shows is a decision for the heart as well as the portfolio.” Warner Bros. made films that spoke to people during the Great Depression, spoke out against fascism, united citizens during World War II and engaged in Cold War politics (for better and worse).
“The idea of only making ‘content’ is such a low bar for the medium of film and TV,” adds Orr, “It’s like saying all paintings need only satisfy the needs of a dental waiting room.” The kinds of movies Warner Bros. was built on are the kind that “reflects the ambitions of anyone who yearns for movies to impact our hearts and minds and introduce us to a larger world of ideas.”
“WB has always had a distinctive voice — often a vital voice — in the history of Hollywood,” Orr continues, “No matter which management was in charge, the studio produced stories that spoke to our times, often challenging the status quo. I’d hate to see that voice disappear and the legacy upon which it was built.”
The studio was built as a symbol of how movies can speak truth to power, even when the risks are legion. The brothers took a big chance investing in sound synchronization, producing relevant narratives that “ripped from the headlines,” and used their own personal resources to fund donation trains, build schools and hospitals, and serve as examples of respectable civic leadership. If the Netflix purchase is successful, they will own an incredible library that includes classic MGM titles (Wizard of Oz), RKO (Citizen Kane), and the entirety of Warner’s incredible history.
At Warner Bros., one can feel the history radiating from the buildings on the legendary lot. Harry Warner’s granddaughter, Karen Sperling, recently visited the studio and noted the significance of the lot. She “realized that all the facades constantly have been transformed to provide canvases of so many iconic moments in film history.”
Each lot has a list of major productions created under its roof. All productions stem from the success and courage of the influential films that came before. A walk through the prop house will jar memories of having seen just about everything in there before (because you have!). Back in April, following the paperback release of my book The Warner BrothersI was asked to give a lecture and discussion for the Warner Bros. studio tour guides. Their enthusiasm for Warner history was palpable, their knowledge and desire to learn more was contagious.
As legacy studios work to survive in the digital age, we must remember what they stood for. More than IP, these studio walls stand for and identity in the real world that should be maintained. Still, we have reason for concern, as Orr asks, “In a time when the White House is not safe from the moneyed wrecking ball, what chance does a movie studio have against the controlling interest of billionaires?”
Companies and industries evolve. “TikTok videos are amusements not unlike the early Nickelodeon parlors,” argues Orr, “In time, though, audiences want more.” Ultimately, Orr isn’t completely against a Warner Bros. sale. After all, “Warner Bros. grew by buying other companies, but I hope all sides understand that the 100-year history of Warner Bros. is more than just an entry in a balance sheet. It remains a company founded on the stuff that dreams are made of.”