Zanuck, Darryl Francis (1902–1979)

US film producer. In 1933 he founded Twentieth Century Pictures, which merged the following year with Fox to form Twentieth Century Fox. His dynamism and ability to gauge public tastes made him one of the most forceful executives in Hollywood. In addition to supervising his studio's output, he personally produced such prestige films as The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and All About Eve (1950).

Zanuck began his career writing scenarios for the canine star Rin Tin Tin, and then became head of production at Warner Bros, where he championed contemporary ‘torn from the headlines’ material in the early sound era. He became an independent producer in 1956, but in 1962 was persuaded back to Fox and elected company president, remaining at the studio until 1971.