Shady Facts About Eddie Mannix, Old Hollywood’s Notorious Fixer
Hollywood has had its fair share of scandals, and when there’s a mess, someone needs to clean it—someone like Eddie Mannix. When Hollywood’s elite needed help, Mannix was the go-to crisis manager.
But Hollywood’s infamous fixer had a few skeletons in the closet himself.
1. He Had Different Names
Eddie Mannix was born to John and Lizzie Mannix in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Although his baptismal name was Joseph, Mannix officially called himself Edgar. Later, most people addressed him as Eddie. Red flags were there from the beginning. Before Mannix was even in high school, he dropped out...and what he did with his free time wasn't savory.
2. He Started Small
Mannix’s early career would play a crucial role in his later life. At first, Eddie got a job as a ticket taker at Palisades Amusement Park.
His cool demeanor and capability impressed the attraction’s owners, the Schenck brothers, and they soon promoted him to bookkeeper. But this wasn't a boring accountant's job, oh no.
3. He Was Physically Intimidating
In his capacity as bookkeeper, Mannix's life got shady very quickly. The park was in deep with the New Jersey underbelly, so Mannix was necessarily involved in pushing mobsters' money around. And that wasn't all: Mannix also worked as a kind of bouncer for the park, and got a reputation as a tough guy who could get rid of any, er, "problems" with a heavy hand.
It wasn’t long before his particular set of skills had Hollywood calling.
4. He Was A Right-Hand Man
One of Mannix's bosses, Nicholas Schenck, had an eye on becoming a film studio executive. So when the now-famous studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) formed in Los Angeles, Schenck thought he should be its head honcho. Except...no one called him up. Furious, Schenck decided to send his trusted lackey to the West coast—Eddie Mannix.
It was the trip that changed everything for Mannix, and truly set him on the path to infamy.
