Philip Anschutz

Philip Anschutz

The noise level in the restaurant kitchen was higher than usual. Excitement seasoned everyone and even the diners caught the enthusiasm of the youthful staff. It was graduation week, 1961, and as most of the employees were students at the near-by University of Kansas, anticipation and exuberance filled the air. Many of the students would be leaving for home and new horizons following tomorrow’s ceremonies. Many would never cross paths again. All had worked hard to reach this day.

The evening brought a range of emotions to young Philip as he exchanged hugs and tears and farewells with classmates and friends. Through it all, he managed to keep his mind on business and provide good service to his customers at his station. Finally, the last meal was served and cleared, the set-ups for tomorrow completed and Philip was free to leave.

He caught up with a group of his fellow wait-staff in the parking lot. The debate was which celebration to attend first. Once a decision was made, the young adults piled into several cars and headed off for various destinations.

Philip found himself crowded next to a young man he had not talked to in several weeks. Their conversation soon turned to plans for the future.

“Well, Philip, I suppose you are eager to get on with your law studies back east. The University of Virginia sounds so “lawerish.”

“I am so looking forward to it,” beamed Philip. “What about you, what are your plans for the summer?”

I already have a job, starting a week from Monday at my father’s friend’s bank in Tulsa. No rest for the weary, so they say.” The other occupants in the crowded car laughed in agreement. Soon everyone was talking at once again and someone asked Philip “Are you going to work around here this summer before you head off to the mountains. UVA is in the Mountains isn’t it?” The conversations rambled on comparing the audacity of Virginia to call its Appalachian and Allegheny chains “mountains.” Compared to the tall peaks of the western ranges, the term “hills” was more appropriate. And soon the night of celebrations drew to its close.

The graduation ceremony was a fitting time for young Philip to reminisce about the tough journey he had faced. He told a friend: “It has been hard for my family financially for a long time. My daddy is an oil wildcatter, but his health has made it very difficult at times, but you know what, with the Lord’s help, I can make positive changes in my life. I fact, I already have. I worked my way through college here. I’ve had jobs ever since I was fourteen years old. I have worked at all kinds of jobs: yard service, bag boy, waiter and bank teller. And now I’m going to be a lawyer.” He rose to walk across the stage as his name was called.

Philip waved the diploma in his hands. “Well, here it is. I have earned a degree in Finance. I certainly worked for it.” He grinned as he shook hands with a favorite professor in the milling crowd.

“Not only did you earn it,” exclaimed the professor, “You finished at the top of your class. And you told me when I first met you that you were just a mediocre student.” The older man clasped Philip hand. “You have great potential, Philip, and great instincts. Congratulations, it has been a pleasure teaching you.”

Why, thank you, professor.” Philip replied. “Now, I can’t wait to spend some time with my family before I set off to Virginia. My dad’s health has been quite bad lately. I suppose I’ll help out around the house and business for a few weeks before I start my studies. Thanks again.” Philip turned to another group of well-wishers.

A few days later, Philip sat across the table from his parents in their Wichita kitchen. The early morning sun bounced cheerfully around the room, at odds to the mood of its occupants.

“I didn’t realize it had gotten so desperate,” Philip spoke softly. “Bankruptcy? Are you sure that is the only option for Circle A Drilling? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“We wanted you to focus on your studies.” His mother explained. “Dad’s health has been so bad lately, that the company has been unable to function.”

His Father looked fondly at his two favorite people, “It is hard enough to be a wildcatter when you are in great health. The independent oil business is very risky. One day you’re succeeding and the next day you aren’t.”

“I know, Dad,” Philip interrupted, “You have taught me so much. I have watched you take risks and bounce back from failures. You have the most enormous entrepreneurial skill I have ever seen. You are so brilliant and your intuitions are so true.”

Philip stood and brought the coffee pot back to the table, thinking while he poured fresh coffee in their cups.

“We can turn this around, you know.” He spoke firmly and his parents looked at him with slight surprise. “No, we will turn this around.” He spoke more emphatically. “And this is how we are going to do it…”

Philip Anschutz never did make it to the University of Virginia as a student, but he did turn Circle A Drilling around from the brink of bankruptcy. It took a lot of hard work and a lot of courage, but four years later, he sold the thriving business at a profit and ensured that his parents were well-taken care of financially.

This was just the beginning of Philip Anschutz’s adventures in entrepreneurship. From his Mother, he learned a strong moral grounding, honesty, religious commitment and

work ethic. His father taught him how to boldly trust his instincts and about taking risks and the advantages to be found in failure. The early years of wildcatting with Circle A Drilling laid a strong foundation for his later successes.

In 1965, at the age of 24, he started The Anschutz Corporation and by 1984, Forbes magazine named Philip the country’s seventh richest man. His estimated net worth was $1 billion, tying him with banker David Rockefeller and computer giant William Hewlett. His courage in taking business risks and vision for each of his ventures earned him an even greater fortune. By the late 1990’s he was reported to be worth over $10 billion dollars.

Philip Anschutz is an extraordinarily wealthy man, however, in a September 6, 1999, profile entitled “Billionaire Next Door”, Brian O’Reilly remarks. “…one of the most interesting things about him is not that he’s worth well over $10 billion. It’s that he’s a genuinely nice guy worth more than $10 billion. He didn’t make his money by being a nasty, grasping, miserly bastard. Once he got rich, he didn’t turn into a twisted, weirdo billionaire like Howard Hughes or spawn a dysfunctional feuding family like the Koch brothers. As billionaires go, Anschutz is abnormally normal.” Indeed, according to a Denver reporter, Anschutz once “grumbled good-naturedly, ‘Why do you keep calling me ‘Billionaire Philip Anschutz’? My mother never called me ‘Billionaire.’”

If anything could top his business expertise, though, it might possibly be his commitment to Jesus. Philip is a devout Christian. He is active in his local Evangelical Presbyterian church as well as a wide variety of philanthropic causes. His wife, Nancy Park Anschutz, is the vice president of the Anschutz Foundation of Denver, aimed primarily at helping underprivileged children and their families. With nine-figure assets, this foundation sponsors everything from Christian sports camps, to hospital construction, college scholarships for needy students, and the preservation of the nation’s historic and artistic treasures.

At age 65, this Christian billionaire—the 33rd richest American and the 80th richest person in the world—brought his considerable courage and determination to bear on Hollywood. He has been quoted as saying that he entered the movie business because he wanted to stop "cursing the darkness" (Hollywood's violent and vulgar R-rated films) and start making family fare. In 2001, Walden Media was created and produces primarily G and PG rated family films. “Philip would never back an R rated movie,” said a spokesman.

Philip is a very private person and does not grant interviews. He is the chairman and owner of Anschutz Co., a firm that owns or has investments in companies in energy, pipelines, railroads, agriculture, real estate, film production, movie theaters,

telecommunications, sports, and newspapers. His courage and persistence in overcoming adversary is a testimony to his strong faith. In a Sept. 1999 Fortune article, a friend said that Anschutz “has a latent interest in doing something significant in American Christianity. He is working deliberately and diligently on it.”

“But remember the LORD your God

for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,…”

Deuteronomy 8:18

Thanks to the following for contributions to this article:

John H. McCool, Department of History, University of Kansas

Christopher Palmeri, Los Angeles

Jack Shaefer, Slate's editor at large

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