Quick Facts
Biography
Michael Redstone (born Michael Rothstein; April 11, 1902), was the founder of the Northeast Theater Corporation which became National Amusements, Inc.
Biography
Redstone was born in Boston. In 1980, at the behest of his son Sumner Redstone, he agreed to change their surname from "Rothstein" to "Redstone." He started a trucking firm as a young man and then he worked as an usher at the Scollay Square Olympia theater before starting the Boston branch of the Latin Quarter nightclub. Thereafter he founded the movie theater ownership company Northeast Theater Corporation which became National Amusements, Inc.
His son, Sumner Redstone, grew National Amusements into one of the largest media conglomerates in the United States, owning one of the three broadcast networks CBS Corporation, the cable television and content provider Viacom (which includes MTV Networks and BET), and the movie studio Paramount Pictures. In addition, they are equal partners in MovieTickets.com.