Michael Nathanson (film executive)

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Michael Nathanson
Born
Michael Nathanson

1955 or 1956 (age 68–69)
NationalityAmerican
EducationB.A. Ithaca College
SpouseDiana Victoria Lands
Parent(s)Edith Landesman Nathanson
Ted Nathanson
Family Benedict Gimbel Jr. (grandfather)
Adam Gimbel (great-great-grandfather)

Michael Nathanson (born 1955/1956)[1] is an American film industry executive who was head of MGM Pictures.

Early life and education[edit]

Nathanson was raised in New York City, the son of Edith (née Landesman) and Ted Nathanson. His father was a director at NBC including the original Tonight Show and the Today Show and later the coordinating producer for numerous national sporting events for NBC Sports.[2][3] His mother was a producer at ABC who worked on The Perry Como Show.[2][4] His paternal grandfather, Benedict Gimbel Jr., founded one of the first radio stations in Philadelphia[5][6] (his father was born Benedict Gimbel III but changed his surname to that of his mother).[2][3] His great-great-grandfather was Adam Gimbel, the founder of Gimbel Brothers department store. He has two sisters who are also in the industry, Laura Nathanson Knobloch, a vice president at Fox Television, and Carla Nathanson Hoffman, who worked on the David Letterman Show.[3][2][7][8]

Career[edit]

Nathanson began his career at NBC Sports in New York City and then moved to Los Angeles in 1975[9] where he worked as a production assistant on the 1977 films, The Deep[10] and Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger.[9] From 1980 to 1984, he worked at United Artists.[1] In 1987, he went to work for Columbia Pictures[9] and in 1989,[11] was named as senior production executive and later president of worldwide production[1] where he oversaw the production of such films as Awakenings, The Prince of Tides, Boyz n the Hood, and A River Runs Through It.[11] In 1994, he was named as chairman and chief executive of Arnon Milchan's New Regency Productions where he oversaw such films as A Time to Kill, Tin Cup, Natural Born Killers, Heat, Free Willy, Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home,[1] and Copycat.[11] In February 1997, Frank Mancuso hired him to serve as president of MGM Pictures replacing Mike Marcus.[1] At MGM, he oversaw the production of Windtalkers, Bandits, Rollerball, Killing Me Softly, and Hart's War.[10] He stayed at MGM for seven years and the took a position as CEO of production at ONC Entertainment[12] where he oversaw such films as L.A. Confidential, Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach, and Yours, Mine & Ours. In 2012, Nathanson was named along with Bill Lischak as co-presidents of OddLot Entertainment by its CEO and founder, Gigi Pritzker.[13]

Personal life[edit]

In 1990, he married Diana Victoria Lands.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Eller, Claudia (February 12, 1997). "Nathanson Is Named Head of MGM Pictures". The Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^ a b c d Sandomir, Richard (June 7, 1997). "Ted Nathanson, 72, Director Of NBC Sports and News Shows". New York Times.
  3. ^ a b c "Edward Nathanson". Variety. June 12, 1997.
  4. ^ "Nathanson-Edith Landesman, passed away Friday evening, April 10, 2020". The New York Times. April 15, 2020.
  5. ^ "Benedict Gimbel Jr., 71, Dies; Had Owned Radio Station WIP". The New York Times. February 6, 1971.
  6. ^ "Benedict Gimbel, Jr". Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia.
  7. ^ "David Hoffman Wed To Carla Nathanson". New York Times. September 28, 1986. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  8. ^ "Peter Knobloch Wed To Laura Nathanson". New York Times. February 5, 1989. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c ""Yours, Mine & Ours" Production Information". Yours, Mine & Ours. Archived from the original on July 18, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Goodridge, Mike (September 20, 2001). "Michael Nathanson renews contract at MGM Pictures". Screen Daily.
  11. ^ a b c Johnson, Ted; Weiner, Rex (February 11, 1997). "MGM's newest lion: Nathanson". Variety.
  12. ^ McNary, Dave (November 14, 2012). "Lischak, Nathanson to top OddLot: Duo named co-presidents of production company". The Chicago Tribune.
  13. ^ Foreman, Liza (November 14, 2012). "Former MGM Exec Michael Nathanson and Bill Lischak to Serve as Co-Presidents at OddLot Entertainment". The Wrap.
  14. ^ "Diana Lands and Michael Nathanson Are Wed". The New York Times. September 16, 1990.