Andre Blay Dies

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deadline.com/2018/09/andre-blay-dead-magnetic-video-founder-ceo-20th-century-fox-video-1202458500/


Andre Blay Dies: Magnetic Video Founder, 20th Century Fox Video CEO Was 81

Andre Blay, a home video pioneer who founded the Magnetic Video Corporation in 1969 and ten years later became the first president and CEO of Twentieth Century Home Video, died August 24 in Bonita Springs, Florida. His death was announced by his son Robert.

Blay co-founded Stereodyne Inc. in 1966, an eight-track and cassette duplication company, according to his biography with Central Michigan University’s College of Business Administration. Three years later he founded Magnetic, which, according to the alumni bio, was the first marketer of prerecorded videocassettes. In 1979, he sold Magnetic to Twentieth Century Fox and was named president and CEO of Twentieth Century Home Video.

From 1982 to 1986, he was chairman and CEO of Embassy Home Entertainment, then formed Palisades Entertainment Group. At Embassy, Blay greenlighted films including Hope and Glory and Sid and Nancy. He was an executive producer on 1987’s Prince of Darkness and 1988’s The Blob, among others.

Among Blay’s many awards and honors were induction into the Video Hall of Fame and Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame and MSU Business Alumni of Year. He was the author of the memoir Pre-Recorded History.

His family said that, in retirement, Blay shared his “passionate business spirit” by speaking to MSU M.B.A. students, UCLA law students, Central Michigan University Business School, High Point University entrepreneur students, and Florida Gulf Coast University students.

Blay is survived by Nancy, his wife of 60 years, son Robert, daughter Cynthia and other family.

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www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/andre-blay-dead-home-video-pioneer-was-81-1140609


Andre Blay, Pioneer of Home Video, Dies at 81

His company was the first to put theatrical motion pictures on videocassette. He later served as a top exec at Fox and Norman Lear's Embassy Communications.
Andre Blay, who came up with the idea of putting films on videotape and served as the first CEO of the home video division at 20th Century Fox, has died. He was 81.

Blay, who later produced several films, died Aug. 24 in Bonita Springs, Florida, his son, Robert, announced.

Blay launched Farmington Hills, Michigan-based Magnetic Video Corp. in 1969, and eight years later, MVC became the first company to release theatrical motion pictures on videocassette and Betamax, enabling people to watch movies in their homes.

He reached out to the Hollywood studios for permission to put their films on videotape, and Fox was the only one to reply. In return for a $300,000 advance and a $7.50 royalty on each title sold, it licensed 50 films to MVC, all released in 1973 or earlier.

Blay also formed the Video Club of America, and for a fee of $10, subscribers could buy a movie for $49.95. At the time, a VCR was selling for about $1,000.

In 1979, Fox bought MVC for $7.5 million, and Blay became president and CEO of the studio's home video arm.

Blay left Fox in 1981 to form his own company, but a year later joined Norman Lear and Jerry Perenchio at Embassy Communications as chairman and CEO of its new home entertainment division.

At Embassy, Blay greenlighted such films as Sid and Nancy (1986), Hope and Glory (1987) and Souvenir (1989) and was instrumental in raising funds for The Emerald Forest (1985), The Name of the Rose (1986) and The Princess Bride (1987).

He resigned from Embassy in 1986 after it was sold and formed Palisades Entertainment Group with producer Elliott Kastner. He then was an executive producer on Prince of Darkness (1987), The Blob (1988) and Homeboy (1988).

A native of Mount Clemens, Michigan, Blay received his bachelor's degree from Michigan State in 1957.

In addition to his son, survivors include his wife of 60 years, Nancy; daughter Cynthia; and grandchildren Mae, Annie, Stephanie, Madison and Mackenzie.

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variety.com/2018/film/news/andre-blay-dead-dies-20th-century-fox-video-1202930093/

Home Video Pioneer Andre Blay Dies at 81

Andre Blay, founder of Magnetic Video and the first CEO of 20th Century Fox Video, died August 24 in Bonita Springs, Fla. He was 81.

Known as the father of the home video industry, Blay founded the Magnetic Video Corporation in 1969, which went on to become the first company to release motion pictures on videocassette in 1977. Marking the beginning of an era in which people could bring movies from the theater into their own homes, he also started the Video Club of America, which advertised video cassettes in TV Guide and was the forerunner of video rental stores.

The video cassette business got off the ground when he began paying a yearly fee to 20th Century Fox to license movies from their catalog. They were the first films available on video from a major studio, and the venture was so successful that Fox bought Magnetic Video in 1979 to form 20th Century Fox Video, naming Blay as CEO.


After leaving Fox in 1981, he formed video software firm Andre Blay Corporation, which he sold to Embassy Pictures. As CEO of Embassy Home Entertainment, he helped shepherd productions movies including “Hope and Glory” and “Sid and Nancy.”

After Embassy was sold, he served as executive producer on movies including 1980s versions of “Village of the Damned,” “They Live,” “The Blob,” and “Prince of Darkness.”

He later served as CEO of Enterprise Software, which developed broadcast management software for televison stations.

Blay was born in Mount Clemens, Mich. and graduated Michigan State with a B.A. and MBA. Before Magnetic Video, he co-founded Stereodyne, the first eight track and cassette duplication company.

Blay was inducted into both the Video Hall of Fame and the Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame in 1982. In retirement, Blay continued to share his passion for business by speaking to business students from MSU, UCLA, Central Michigan University, High Point University, and Florida Gulf Coast University.

Blay is survived by his wife of 60 years, Nancy, and their children Robert, Cynthia, and five grandchildren.