Samuel Fox, American music publisher and founder of the Sam Fox Publishing Company and the first to publish original film scores in the United States.
Background
The son of Hungarian immigrants Simon and Sara Fox, Samuel Fox was born at Zanesville, Ohio, May 15, 1884. His father was a traveling salesman who moved the family to Cleveland, Ohio, and Fox resided with his parents and sister Muriel until the age of 25.
Career
With a $300 loan in 1906, Fox founded Sandbox Music Publishing company, later called Sam Fox Publishing Company. His early efforts included the publishing of piano novelties, but he quickly branched into other types of music Early on, Fox became acquainted with John Stepan Zamecnik, who in 1907 was named music director of the newly opened Cleveland Hippodrome Theater.
Zemecnik began writing original scores for the films shown at the Hippodrome, which Fox published.
The business arrangement between Fox and Zamecnik flourished and the music director became the major composer and music director for Sam Fox Publishing Company. In 1917, Fox became the exclusive publisher for John Philip Sousa, the American march king, and maintained a working relationship with the musician until Sousa"s death in 1934.
His film scoring for Hollywood companies was solidified with contracts with Fox Films and Movietone News as their exclusive musical producer. The Hollywood film work led to his publication of songs in Fox films, including "The Good Ship Lollipop" sung by Shirley Temple.
Additionally, Sam Fox Publishing Company had representatives in offices in London, Paris, Berlin, Melbourne, and other cities worldwide.
He died November 30, 1971 in San Francisco, California at the age of 87.