Millard L. Ochs Biography
Millard L. Ochs
President
Warner Bros. International Cinemas
The Ochs name has been a familiar one in theatrical exhibition for over 80 years and across three generations. Millard's grandfather, Lee A. Ochs, owned 13 theatres in Manhattan during the 20's and 30's while carefully grooming his son, Millard Sr., to carry on the family business. Mr. Ochs' keen foresight eventually caught the eye of a national chain, Stanley Warner Theatres (which later became RKO Stanley Warner) and they recruited him. When Millard L. Ochs entered the picture in July of 1946, he was practically destined to become part of the cinema industry.
While attending the University of Akron, Millard worked as an apprentice to his father and learned the business from the ground up, spending time as an usher, a projectionist and a concession manager until moving up to cinema manager. After graduating from the University, Millard expanded his responsibilities as City Manager for RKO Stanley Warner Theatres in Cincinnati, Ohio, and later became District Manager for AMC covering the Southwest territories of Arizona and Southern California.
AMC dispatched Millard to England in 1985 to begin developing the multiplex concept at Milton Keynes. Over the next three years, AMC opened eight locations in England and then sold their interest to the Universal/Paramount Studio joint venture UCI (United Cinemas International).
After spending a decade successfully establishing UCI as a multiplex operator in England, Germany and Spain, in June of 1993 Millard decided to head back to the US.
Eager to take on the next challenge, Millard joined Warner Bros. International Theatres as Executive Vice President, and assumed the Presidency of Warner Bros. International Theatres in July of 1994.
Recognizing his exceptional contributions to the cinema industry, in June of 1996 the Exhibitor of the Year Award was presented to Millard at Cinema Expo in Amsterdam. And in March of 1998, the nominating committee of ShoWest chose Millard as co-recipient of the Exhibitor of the Year Award at their annual worldwide convention.
Operating through many successful joint venture partnerships, the circuit reached a peak of 148 cinemas and 1403 screens in 2002. The division was renamed Warner Bros. International Cinemas, and today operates 83 multiplex cinemas and 648 screens around the globe, including management of the Mann Theatres chain in the US.