Short answers, pulled from the story.
Manson International was founded in 1953 by Edmund Goldman, a former Columbia Pictures executive, and Sam Nathanson, under the name Manson Distributing Corporation. The company name was derived from the two founders' surnames.
Manson Distributing Corporation distributed Godzilla as part of its initial focus on bringing foreign films to American audiences. Godzilla was among the titles the company handled in its earliest years of operation.
By the time Manson formally incorporated in 1962, the company had shifted primarily to distributing what the trade called "sex trip movies," classifying its titles as either "hard" or "soft" based on content.
In 1975, Michael Goldman, son of co-founder Edmund Goldman, took over the company. He redirected Manson away from adult content and toward marketing and international licensing of independent films.
In 1987, Manson was acquired by the Management Company Entertainment Group, known as MCEG, a production company owned by Jonathan D. Krane. Following the sale, the Intercontinental Releasing Corporation switched its distribution to United Film Distribution Company.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer currently owns the Manson library, with certain exceptions. MGM acquired it after purchasing Metromedia International Group in 1997, which had formed from a 1995 merger between MCEG and Orion Pictures. The Intercontinental Releasing titles were acquired separately by MCEG on the 16th of November, 1994, and follow a distinct ownership path.