MGM Co-Founder Loew was Marcus Loew, a Jewish-American business magnate who founded the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) film studio in 1924. He had previously established a chain of vaudeville and movie theaters, which eventually became the Loews Theatres chain. Loew was also involved in other business ventures, including the acquisition of the Louis B. Mayer Pictures Corporation in 1918. He was one of the most influential figures in the early days of Hollywood and is credited with helping to shape the modern movie industry.