Norton Winfred Simon American millionaire manufacturer and philanthropist Date of Birth: 05.02.1907 Country: USA

1. Biography of Norton Winfred Simon
2. Early Life and Career
3. Art Collection and Philanthropy
4. Later Life and Legacy

Biography of Norton Winfred Simon

Norton Winfred Simon was an American millionaire industrialist and philanthropist from California. He was also known for his significant art collection, which is displayed at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California.

Early Life and Career

Norton Winfred Simon was born on February 5, 1907, in a wealthy Jewish family in Portland, Oregon. He attended high school in San Francisco and graduated in 1924. Following his father's advice, Simon enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley in 1925. However, he left the law school after just six weeks to join a sheet metal sales company.

In 1927, Simon invested $7,000 in a struggling orange juice factory in Fullerton, California, renaming it "Val Vita Food Products Company." He expanded the business by acquiring canning equipment and adding production lines for other fruits and vegetables. Eventually, he sold the factory to Hunt's Foods in exchange for a controlling stake in the company. Simon implemented strict financial control and a unique marketing approach, leading Hunt's Foods to become one of the largest food industry companies on the West Coast by 1945.

Art Collection and Philanthropy

Over the years, Simon amassed one of the world's most significant private collections of art, including works by impressionists, old masters, and contemporary and national artists. He served as a patron of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and supported the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where a portion of his collection was initially displayed.

In 1972, a scandal erupted when it was revealed that Simon had purchased a bronze statue of dancing Shiva for $900,000, which the Indian government claimed had been stolen from a temple and smuggled out of the country. While Simon had knowingly acquired smuggled art in the past, he denied his involvement in this case. In 1976, he reached an agreement with the Indian authorities, agreeing to return the statue to its rightful owners in exchange for the ability to keep and display Shiva for nine years.

To house his collection of 4,000 art pieces, Norton Simon established the Norton Simon Museum of Modern Art in Pasadena. The museum was in financial trouble and was renamed in his honor in 1974.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1969, Norton Simon's son, Robert Simon, tragically took his own life. The following year, Norton divorced his wife, Lucille Ellis, and married actress Jennifer Jones in 1971. He retired from active business management in 1969 and ran for internal Republican elections against Senator George Murphy in 1970 but was unsuccessful.

Norton served on the Board of Regents for the University of California and the Carnegie Commission on the Future of Higher Education. He was also involved in the boards of Reed College, the Los Angeles Music Center, the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, and the Institute for Advanced Study.

In 1984, Norton was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder, but he remained active in the affairs of the museum named in his honor until his death. He passed away on June 2, 1993, at the age of 86 in Beverly Hills, California.