Skouras, Spyros S.

Description

Spyros Solon Skouras was born on October 28, 1923, in St. Louis, Missouri the son of Saroula Bruiglia and Spyros P. Skouras. His father was a major Motion Picture mogul who was formerly President of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation from 1942-1962. Young Spyros graduated from the Taft Preparatory School in 1941. In Rye his family lived at 2 Shore Road.

Spyros was a student at Yale when he enlisted in the US Army Pictorial Division in 1942. During World War II, the Army Pictorial Service (APS), a branch of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, was responsible for the Army’s photographic and cinematic output. Its headquarters was the Signal Corps Photographic Center (later known as the Army Pictorial Center), established in 1942 at a former Paramount studio in Astoria, Queens, New York.

After his discharge, Spyros graduated from Yale University in 1948. In his early career, Spyros was President and CEO of the 100-movie theater chain, The Skouras Theaters Corporation. While President of The Skouras Theaters, Mr. Skouras was President and CEO of Ampex Stereo Sound for Theaters and The Triton Production Company, which made Motion Pictures with the major actors and directors of Hollywood.

He married Barbara Jane Feldman on May 29, 1951, in New York City, New York. They had four children during their marriage.

Spyros was Founder, Chairman and CEO of Olatec Industries LLC for over ten years and for forty years he owned and was Chairman and CEO of Admiralty Enterprises Inc. one the largest American flag shipping fleets which owned Grace Lines, Prudential Lines, Vessel Charters Inc. and World Wide Tankers.

Spyros was a Director of the Alfred E. Smith Foundation, the USO and United Cerebral Palsy. Spyros was a Charter Member of Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich’s GOPAC organization and Director of President Reagan’s Commission on Executive Exchange.

Spyros was an avid sportsman, with a keen interest in skiing and golf. Spyros will always be remembered for his strength, courage, intellect, patience and perseverance.

He had a dynamic personality positively impacting everyone he came in contact. To know Spyros was to know that ‘people and purpose’ mattered more to him than ‘things’.
Spyros was devout in his faith in God always remaining optimistic and positive.

Spyros Solon Skouras died peacefully at home, January 18, 2013, with his children and cherished dog, Laurie, at his side. He was 89.

Spyros, the husband of 55 years of the late Barbara F. Skouras was the beloved father of Spyros Jr., George, Damaris and the late Cassandra and he was grandfather of Spyros III, Marina, Sophia, Calliste and his step-granddaughter Adriel. He is also survived by his loving sister Daphne Skouras Root of Bedford, NY.

He was buried in Hawthorne, New York.