M*A*S*H*E*D

As the only son of Darryl F. Zanuck, the last of Hollywood's legendary moviemakers, Richard Darryl Zanuck had a compulsion to succeed in his father's business. Short and intense, he was once described by a tennis partner as the sort of player "who gives you the feeling that he'd like nothing better than to smash the ball between your eyes." Just 17 months ago, young Zanuck achieved his ambition at 20th Century-Fox, the studio his father helped to found in 1933. After a career as a producer (Compulsion, The Chapman Report) and later 20th Century-Fox's chief of production, he was named president of the company at the age of 35.

Last week, in a family drama, Richard Zanuck faced his white-haired and stern-faced father across a boardroom table at 20th Century-Fox's headquarters in Manhattan. A special committee appointed by the directors had recommended that top management be changed. Zanuck Sr., who is now 68 and chairman of the board, was saved the possible embarrassment of voting against his son. The meeting ended with Zanuck Jr.'s resignation. And Darryl Zanuck, who used to make and break stars, carve up bankers for breakfast, and once reputedly snapped at an assistant, "Don't say yes until I finish talking," was served a blunt notice. He will continue as chairman and chief executive "subject to the pleasure of the board."

Storm Over Myra. What had gone wrong? Father and son had apparently had a falling out on a number of matters. Darryl Zanuck favored shutting down the company's costly Hollywood studios and producing movies more cheaply abroad; Richard Zanuck wanted to keep the studios going, at least until current productions were finished. Besides their business disagreements, Richard Zanuck had been impolite enough not to find film jobs for his father's friend, Starlet Genevieve Gilles.

Besides, Zanuck Jr. had proved to be no more than competent on the job. At a time when the industry is beset by changing public tastes, mere competence is not enough. The young president had his share of successes (Butch Cassidy, M*A*S*H, Patton). But he had his share of bombs too (Star!, Che!, Dr. Dolittle). Most recently--some say at his father's insistence--he sank $23 million into Tora! Tora! Tora!, which has an uncertain financial future. He also raised a storm of public indignation by backing pop porn flicks, notably Myra Breckinridge, which has not yet made a profit, and probably never will. The board forced him to sell off another property, Portnoy's Complaint. Since 20th Century-Fox lost $25 million in 1969 and another $21 million in the first nine months of 1970, Manhattan bankers who had made big loans to the studio began demanding some executive shifts.

Celebrated Mementos. The board chose not to fill the presidency immediately. Instead, Dennis Stanfill, 42, a former Lehman Brothers banker with no moviemaking experience, was named executive vice president for finance and operations control. With young Zanuck out, it is questionable whether 20th Century-Fox will long continue large-scale Hollywood studio production. Indeed, the company has decided, like MGM, to auction off some of its more celebrated mementos, such as Shirley Temple's Teddy bear, Marilyn Monroe's bed from Let's Make Love, and the throne that Yul Brynner occupied in The King and I. As for Richard Zanuck, he should have no trouble making ends meet. One of the highest-paid executives in the U.S., his salary at 20th Century-Fox amounted to $350,000 a year.

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