Cyril Magnin
Encyclopedia
Cyril Isaac Magnin was one of the most prominent San Francisco businessmen of the post-World War II
era, chief executive of the Joseph Magnin Co.
, which evolved into a multi-million dollar chain of upscale women's clothing stores.
Personally gracious and urbane, Magnin was a veteran political fund-raiser and power broker in the Democratic Party, dating back to New Deal days. He was Treasurer of President Franklin Roosevelt's northern California re-election campaign in 1944, a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1948 (that nominated President Harry Truman) and again in 1964, when he co-chaired the Finance Committee of President Lyndon Johnson's campaign in California.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Magnin was one of a quartet of fabulously wealthy San Francisco Jewish contributors to Democratic candidates, appreciatively called "The Green Machine" by career politicians, the others being Fairmont Hotel
magnate Benjamin Swig, Lilli Ann
clothing company founder Adolph Schuman
, and real estate mogul Walter Shorenstein
.
The four did not always agree in their choice of candidates. Magnin himself was a major donor to the presidential candidacies of John F. Kennedy
in 1960 and Robert F. Kennedy
in 1968, and, in the interim, developed a close friendship with Lyndon Johnson.
Magnin was the first of the "Green Machine" multi-millionaires to fade from the national political scene after the Party was bitterly divided over the Vietnam War in 1968 and 1972. But he later worked closely with San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto
and was deeply involved in the civic affairs of the city for the remainder of his life. He was President of the Port of San Francisco and was instrumental in establishing such internationally-renowned institutions as the Asian Art Museum
, the American Conservatory Theater
and the California Culinary Academy
. Serving also as the city's first "Chief of Protocol", Magnin reveled in the informal title of "Mr. San Francisco".
He appeared in the film Maxie
as Mr San Francisco, and in Foul Play
as Pope Pius XIII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era, chief executive of the Joseph Magnin Co.
Joseph Magnin Co.
The Joseph Magnin Company was a high-end specialty department store founded in San Francisco, California by Joseph Magnin.Joseph Magnin was the son of Isaac and Mary Ann Magnin. Mary Ann Magnin was the founder of the I. Magnin & Co. high-end specialty department store she named after her husband. ...
, which evolved into a multi-million dollar chain of upscale women's clothing stores.
Personally gracious and urbane, Magnin was a veteran political fund-raiser and power broker in the Democratic Party, dating back to New Deal days. He was Treasurer of President Franklin Roosevelt's northern California re-election campaign in 1944, a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1948 (that nominated President Harry Truman) and again in 1964, when he co-chaired the Finance Committee of President Lyndon Johnson's campaign in California.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Magnin was one of a quartet of fabulously wealthy San Francisco Jewish contributors to Democratic candidates, appreciatively called "The Green Machine" by career politicians, the others being Fairmont Hotel
The Fairmont San Francisco
The Fairmont San Francisco is a luxury hotel at 950 Mason Street, atop Nob Hill in San Francisco, California. The hotel was named after mining magnate and U.S. Senator James Graham Fair , by his daughters Theresa Fair Oelrichs and Virginia Fair Vanderbilt who built the hotel in his honor. The hotel...
magnate Benjamin Swig, Lilli Ann
Lilli Ann
Lilli Ann was a clothing company that was started in San Francisco, California in 1934 by Adolph Schuman, and named for his wife Lillian. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, the company was known for its good workmanship and high-quality fabrics.- References :...
clothing company founder Adolph Schuman
Adolph Schuman
Adolph P. Schuman was a prominent San Francisco businessman, founder and president of the Lilli Ann apparel company, and a longtime Democratic Party campaign contributor who had close ties to John F. Kennedy and Robert F...
, and real estate mogul Walter Shorenstein
Walter Shorenstein
Walter H. Shorenstein was an American billionaire real estate developer and investor. His company, Shorenstein Company, owned 130 buildings totaling at least of office space at the time of his death. He ranked 371 on the "Forbes 400" list of richest Americans.-Early life:Shorenstein was born in...
.
The four did not always agree in their choice of candidates. Magnin himself was a major donor to the presidential candidacies of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
in 1960 and Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
in 1968, and, in the interim, developed a close friendship with Lyndon Johnson.
Magnin was the first of the "Green Machine" multi-millionaires to fade from the national political scene after the Party was bitterly divided over the Vietnam War in 1968 and 1972. But he later worked closely with San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto
Joseph Alioto
Joseph Lawrence Alioto was the 36th mayor of San Francisco, California, from 1968 to 1976.-Biography:...
and was deeply involved in the civic affairs of the city for the remainder of his life. He was President of the Port of San Francisco and was instrumental in establishing such internationally-renowned institutions as the Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum
Asian Art Museum is the usual name for a number of museums, including:* The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco* The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, located on the National Mall in Washington DC...
, the American Conservatory Theater
American Conservatory Theater
American Conservatory Theater is a large non-profit theater company in San Francisco, California, that offers both classical and contemporary theater productions. A.C.T. was founded in 1965 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Playhouse and Carnegie Tech by theatre and...
and the California Culinary Academy
California Culinary Academy
The California Culinary Academy is an affiliate of Le Cordon Bleu, and is located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1977, the academy has trained more than 15,000 people for restaurant careers through its 30-week baking and pastry chef program and 16-month culinary arts degree program...
. Serving also as the city's first "Chief of Protocol", Magnin reveled in the informal title of "Mr. San Francisco".
He appeared in the film Maxie
Maxie
-Given name:* Madcap Maxie , American world champion heavyweight boxer* Maxie Anderson, American hot air balloonist* Maxie Baughan, American football player* Maxie Berger, Canadian world champion junior welterweight boxer...
as Mr San Francisco, and in Foul Play
Foul Play
Foul Play is a 1978 American comic mystery/thriller film written and directed by Colin Higgins. In it, a recently divorced librarian is drawn into a mystery when a stranger hides a roll of film in a pack of cigarettes and gives it to her for safekeeping....
as Pope Pius XIII