Nat Levine Biography

While working as the president and head of production at Mascot and Republic studios, Nat Levine was known as "King of the Serials." Levine started out as an office boy for New York theater magnate Marcus Loew. He was later promoted to private secretary and remained with Loew until 1920 when Levine left to found his own independent film distribution company to release films that other studios refused to promote. Six years later, Levine produced his first serial The Silent Flyer. The series was purchased by Universal. In 1927, he founded Mascot Pictures. Many future stars appeared in Levine's films including Gene Autry (who debuted in Levine's In Old Santa Fe), Boris Karloff, Harry Carey and Tom Mix. By 1935, Levine had merged this company with three other small studios and formed Republic Pictures. Two years later he sold his interest in the studio to partner Herbert J. Yates. Levine later became the manager of a television station before he began building and managing theaters for California Sterling Theaters. Levine retired in 1972. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi