Maurice Kanbar (March 1, 1929 – August 20, 2022) was an American entrepreneur and inventor who lived in San Francisco, California. He was particularly well known for his creation of Skyy vodka and was also noted for his extensive real estate investments.
Biography Kanbar was born as Moshe Shama on March 1, 1929, in Mandatory Palestine, one of three sons born to Meier and Hana () Shama.Maurice KanbarRobert Evatt, "Downtown Tulsa investor a man of many passions", Tulsa World, December 3, 2010. His family emigrated from Jerusalem to New York in 1937. His Jewish parents raised Maurice and his two brothers in Boro Park, Brooklyn.
Maurice Kanbar is a 1952 alumnus of Philadelphia Textile Institute.
Kanbar had stated he owns 50 patents on various consumer and medical products, invented the D-Fuzz-It comb for sweaters, Tangoes Puzzle Game, the Safetyglide hypodermic needle protector SooFoo, Zip Notes, and a cryogenic cataract remover."Zip Notes Sticky notes on a roll" , OPI.net (Office Products International), October 18, 2007 (accessed March 2, 2010). He created New York's first multiplex cinema, the Quad Cinema, which was the first movie theater in Manhattan to have four small auditoriums in one building.Edward Lewine, "New Yorkers & Co.; The War of the Film Worlds", New York Times, December 7, 1997.
In the beverage industry, Kanbar had a success with Skyy vodka,Bruce Bellingham, "Maurice Kanbar is back in the vodka business – this time it’s Blue Angel", Northside San Francisco, March 2009. also introduced Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream LiqueurMark Athitakis, "Crushed", SF Weekly, April 11, 2001. and more recently launched Blue Angel Premium Vodka.
He produced the animated film Hoodwinked! which was released in January 2006Dennis King, "Review: 'Hoodwinked' ", Tulsa World, January 13, 2006. and grossed over $100M worldwide, and a sequel Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil.
Kanbar owned over 17 acres of commercial property in West Oakland, California, including the American Steel Building, home to more than 150 artists, makers and small businesses, and the historic Pacific Pipe building, both purchased by 11 West Partners in late 2016. He also owned nearly 20 commercial high-rise buildings in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, including the Bank of America Center, the art-deco inspired Philcade Building, Pythian Building, Atlas Life Building and Adams Building and the 41-story First Place Tower.Kanbar Properties main page (accessed May 9, 2012). His extensive investments in Tulsa led to a legal dispute with his former business partner Henry Kaufman, with each suing the other.Robert Evatt, "Kanbar sues former business partner", Tulsa World, August 16, 2007.Robert Evatt, "Kaufman countersues ex-pal Kanbar", Tulsa World, May 16, 2009.9th Circuit Court of Appeals oral argument in Kaufman v. Kanbar 2/11/2010 At one point Kanbar's company was reported to have owned as much as one-third of all available office space in downtown TulsaRobert Evatt, "Building a portfolio", Tulsa World, June 14, 2006. although these properties were subsequently sold.Robert Evatt, "Kanbar selling assets to push development", Tulsa World, March 2, 2010. In 2017, Kanbar sold a portfolio of at least 13 Tulsa buildings to his operating partner, Stuart Price.Rhett Morgan, "Tulsa developer Stuart Price acquires downtown Kanbar properties", Tulsa World, February 5, 2017.
Kanbar was a 1952 graduate of Philadelphia University (then known as Philadelphia Textile Institute), where he studied materials science. In 2005, he donated $6 million for the construction of the school's new campus center, then the largest donation in the school's history."Philadelphia University to Dedicate The Kanbar Campus Center on Saturday, September 30", Philadelphia University press release, September 27, 2006 (accessed March 2, 2010). In 2012, he gave Philadelphia University another $15 million for a new interdisciplinary college, now named the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce.Peter Key, "Skyy Vodka creator gives Phila. U. its biggest gift", Philadelphia Business Journal, May 9, 2012."College of Design, Engineering and Commerce Named for Maurice Kanbar ’52, H’03", Philadelphia University press release, May 9, 2012. In 1997, Kanbar donated $5 million to the Tisch School of the Arts, part of New York University, which named its film school after him: The Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television.Monica Roman, "Kanbar gives $5 mil to NYU film school", Variety, April 10, 1997.Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television undergraduate main page (accessed May 9, 2012). Kanbar Hall, an academic building at Bowdoin College, the alma mater of Maurice's brother, Elliott, was funded by donations from the Kanbar Charitable Trust and from Elliott."Kanbar Hall Wins 'Outstanding Building' Award", Bowdoin College Campus News, March 31, 2006. Kanbar, who was Jewish, had given millions of dollars to various Israeli charities as well.Driven by ideas: inventor-philanthropist Maurice Kanbar honored by AFMDA
Kanbar owned and lived in an eight-story residential tower in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco; he received attention for his 1999 decision to evict his tenants in order to become the sole occupant of the building.Emily Gurnon, "Eviction Shock in Pacific Heights", San Francisco Examiner, July 27, 1999. He was a member of Mensa. He has received honorary degrees from Philadelphia University, Kenyon College,"Celebrating Accomplishments" , Kenyon College news release, April 2006. Bar-Ilan University,Edon Ophir, "The Inventor Who Makes Movies", Jerusalem Post, May 6, 2008 (also availablehere). and Yeshiva University.Maurice Kanbar, Doctor of Humane Letters , Yeshiva University website (retrieved March 2, 2010).
Legacy Kanbar Award Kanbar Hall, Jewish Community Center of San Francisco Kanbar Campus Center, Thomas Jefferson University Kanbar College of Design, Engineering & Commerce, Thomas Jefferson University Kanbar Institute of Film and Television, New York University Maurice Kanbar Center for Biomedical Engineering, Cooper Union
Personal life Kanbar never married or had children. He died on August 20, 2022, at his home in San Francisco at the age of 93 and was survived by his brother Elliott.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2005 Hoodwinked! Producer 2011 Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil Producer Final film References
External links
Bibliography Secrets from an Inventor's Notebook, by Maurice Kanbar, Penguin Books.