Arnold M Picker

Arnold M. Picker, former head of international operations for United Artists Pictures Inc. and a prominent fund-raiser for Democratic political candidates. Mr. Picker, whose family was prominent in the film industry, joined Columbia Pictures in 1935 as an assistant to the foreign manager and became vice president in charge of foreign distribution for Columbia in 1945. Six years later he was one of a group of executives who took over the management of United Artists, then in shaky financial condition. As a partner and executive vice president for international distribution, he built a network of foreign outlets that promoted United Artists films around the world. He was named chairman of the company's executive committee in 1961, a position he held until retirement in 1967. He was also chairman of the National Center for Jewish Film and helped start a film course at City College of New York. His father, David V. Picker, was an executive of Loew's Theater Management Corporation In politics Mr. Picker was chairman of campaigns for Senators Henry M. Jackson of Washington and Edmund S. Muskie of Maine when they sought national office, and was a major contributor to the Democratic National Committee in Congressional campaigns. In 1973 his name was No. 1 on an ''enemies list'' compiled by White House aides to President Richard M. Nixon. At the time Mr. Picker was Senator Muskie's chief fund raiser. Mr. Picker was born in New York and attended City College and the London School of Economics. At his death he lived in Golden Beach, Fla., a resort town near Miami. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, the former Ruth Cohen; two daughters, Carol Frank of Scarsdale, N.Y., and Phyllis Dessner of Toledo, Ohio; two brothers, Eugene, of Bay Harbor Island, Fla., and Sidney, of Beverly Hills, Calif., and seven grandchildren.