Nils Granlund

Nils T. Granlund (September 29, 1890–April 21, 1957) was an American show producer, entertainment industry entrepreneur and radio industry pioneer. He was a publicist for Marcus Loew who formed Loews Theatres and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Although his name was actually Nils Theodore Granlund, he later used Thor as a middle name, and after appearing on early radio was commonly referenced only by his initials, N.T.G., on the air and in print.

Granlund was born in Ljungby Parish in the province of Småland, Sweden. His father was Teodor Granlund, born during 1857 in Fridlevstad in the province of Blekinge. His mother Amanda (Bylund) Granlund (1858-1912) was born in Tingsås Parish, province of Småland. (Source: Swedish Census of 1890). He immigrated with his family to the United States in 1898 settling in Providence, Rhode Island. While still in his teen years he began covering the yachting news for the Providence Tribune, where he later become Sports Editor, and covered the local entertainment news. By his 18th year he had been an automobile race driver, aviator and press agent. His promotional efforts for a local theater caught the attention of Marcus Loew who hired Granlund in 1913 as a publicity agent for Hanky Panky, a recently acquired touring vaudeville show.

Following the year-long tour, Loew promoted Granlund to oversee marketing for his theater chain as publicity manager. In addition to publicizing events at the various venues, at the urging of Loew, Granlund began staging live talent revues at several of the under performing theaters. His innovative techniques resulted in the first use of film for promoting live theater and the first filmed trailers for upcoming movies. In 1922 Granlund visited the studios of WHN, a part-time broadcasting station in Ridgewood, Queens, New York, and after a series of experimental programs, he convinced Loew to lease the station as a promotional arm of Loew's Theaters. He had conceived the elaborate movie premiere, with lights, news cameras and personal appearances of stars. He exploited and advertised the first full-length motion picture in the United States.

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