Charles Koerner

Charles Koerner (died 2 February 1946) was an American film executive, best known for being head of RKO Pictures from 1942 to 1946. Koerner is best remembered today for firing Orson Welles from RKO. However he was a highly successful executive, helping RKO turn around its financial performance from the George Schaefer regime. Jean Renoir called him "an extraordinary man... I deeply regretted his unfortunate death. Had he not died, I believe I should have made twenty films for RKO. I would have worked all my life at RKO. He was a man who knew the business and the exploitation of the cinema, but at the same time conceded that one must experiment."

Korner was appointed vice president in charge of RKO's theatres in 1941. He took over from Joseph Breen as general manager of the studio in 1942.

Among Koerner's first actions was terminating the contract between RKO and Welles. (When told the news, Welles famously quipped "Don't worry, boys. We're just passing a bad Koerner.") He also ended the contract between RKO and Pare Lorentz.

Koerner's motto was "showmanship instead of genuius." By the end of 1942 RKO was in the black for the first time in five years.

Among his most notable achievements were hiring Val Lewton.

Koerner died in early 1946. He was temporarily replaced by Peter Raathvon before being permanently replaced by Dore Schary.

• Cat People (1942)
• I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
• Murder, My Sweet (1944)
• Bells of St Mary's (1945)
• The Enchanted Cottage (1945)