Alan Mruvka
| Alan Mruvka | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958 The Bronx, New York |
| Residence | Beverly Hills, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Miami Pratt Institute |
| Occupation | Filmmaker Film Producer Television producer Screenwriter Actor Entrepreneur Real estate developer |
| Years active | 1984 to present |
| Parents | Father: Murray Mruvka, Mother: Ruth Mruvka |
| Website | |
| bluesquare.us, thelooktv.com | |
Alan Mruvka (born 1958 in Bronx, New York) is an American entertainment and media entrepreneur, film producer and screenwriter. He created and co-founded Movietime Channel, which later became E! Entertainment television. [1] [2][3] He is the Founder, President and CEO of 'The Alan Mruvka Company',[4] and is a California real estate developer.[5]
Contents |
[edit] Background
Mruvka was born to Polish refugees in Bronx, New York in 1958.[6] He grew up in Flushing, Queens and Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, where he attended Dwight Morrow High School. He studied architecture at the University of Miami and New York’s Pratt Institute.[4]
[edit] Career
Mruvka co-founded E! Entertainment Television, formerly known as Movietime, with Larry Namer, and was Chairman and co-founder of The Ministry of Film and Filmtown Entertainment. Mruvka recently founded and launched THE LOOK STORE.com.
[edit] Entertainment, Film, and Television
Mruvka created and founded Movietime Channel Inc now known as "E! Entertainment Television" with partner Larry Namer in 1984.[2] He said the inspiration to create Movietime Channel came while attending a Hollywood AFI seminar about selling screenplays to studios, but instead listened to the studio executives complain about the high cost of advertising a movie.[6] It was then that Mruvka set out to raise seven million dollars to start the network. After three years of not raising any money, a chance meeting on a flight to New York led him to the investment banking company of Mabon Nugent. The investment banking company put a consortium together and raised Mruvka 2.3 million dollars. Mruvka took the money, set up shop in Hollywood and on July 31, 1987, Mruvka and Namer launched Movietime. The network began operation, showing interviews with stars, behind the scenes and movie trailers and charging the studios to show them, a business similar to what MTV did with music and intended for the same demographic.[6][7] Once on the air, Mruvka raised an additional 200 million dollars within the next twelve months.[8]
The investment consortium included Time Inc., Warner Communications, Cox, Comcast and HBO, and in 1990 Movietime was renamed E! Entertainment Television, Inc.[6][9][10][11] While with E!, Mruvka oversaw production of over 20,000 hours of programming while guiding the channel to the fastest growth of a start-up of a cable network in television history. He also founded Movies USA magazine, as a national movie magazine distributed in movie theaters. Also in the 90's, Mruvka co-founded Ministry of Film (MOF) with Marilyn Vance, however that union ended in a lawsuit dispute.[12]
In 1992, shortly after leaving E!, he created FX TV (Fitness and Exercise Television Inc.) as a cable channel to be launched in 1994.[13] Fox Television planned a launch of their own FX Channel, and Mruvka sued them with the assertion that Fox had prior knowledge of his use of the initials. Mruvka then sold FX to Fox for an undisclosed amount thus allowing Fox to use the name.[14]
While under the Ministry of Film shingle, Mruvka produced Erotic Confessions for Cinemax (1994–1997), Embrace of the Vampire (1995) starring Alyssa Milano, and co-wrote and produced Showtime's The Legend of Gator Face (1996). In 1998 he produced Intimate Sessions for Cinemax (1998), and the winner of the Chicago International Children's Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival critically acclaimed Digging to China starring Evan Rachel Wood, USA Network's Pacific Blue (1996–2000), the David Mamet directed State and Main, HBO's Red Letters, and the weekly boxing series Thunderbox (2000).[15]
[edit] Jane controversy
In early 1997 MOF invested in a film project Jane,[12] which was to have starred starred Howard Stern and Melanie Griffith, but the project was halted due to rising production costs.[16] In August, shortly before filming was scheduled to have begun, Stern's agents were informed by Mruvka that financing for the movie had fallen through,[17] and in October Stern filed suit against MOF for their "not paying him to appear in a film Jane that was never produced", alleging breach of contract, in that company execs promised in April of that year to pair him with Grifith for the film and that they had entered into written and oral agreements in July, even though they knew there was inadequate financing.[17][18][19] In response, Mruvka contended that "Howard was never pay or play" and that Stern knew all along that financing was an issue.[18] On Friday January 15, 1999, three days before jury selection for the trial was to commence, it was announced that Stern accepted $50,000 to settle his lawsuit.[20]
[edit] Dissolution of MOF
Mruvka dissolved MOF in 1997 and in 1998 started Filmtown Entertainment.[21][22] However, dissolution of MOF led to litigation by former partner Marilyn Vance, whose suit alleged that Mruvka "failed to carry out promises to capitalize Ministry; that the company purchased real estate without giving Vance the option of part-ownership; and that Mruvka and his father, Murray (who does not hold a position at Ministry), seized control of the company's board of directors in violation of Vance's rights as 50% owner and opened bank accounts that did not list her as a signatory."[12]
[edit] Internet
In 2000, Mruvka founded the internet entertainment portal celebstreet.com.[23] As his first internet venture, the April 5 launch was christened by actress Pamela Lee Anderson at the Spring Internet world trade show at the Los Angeles Convention Center.[24] The site was designed as an entertainment and e-commerce website with content divided into seven main sections: Moviestreet, Musicstreet, Televisionstreet, Fashionstreet, Auctionstreet, Celebritystreet, Camstreet and Shoppingstreet.[23][24] It was planned that these main sections would contain both original content, as well as area-specific content from partners including TV Guide and The Weather Channel, as an online version of what E! has been for television.[23][24] The site is no longer online.[25]
[edit] Real estate
Mruvka founded The Alan Mruvka Company (TAMC), a Los Angeles based television and motion picture production company, and real estate development company.[4][26] In 2001 he decided to leave filmmaking and reinvest his energies toward real estate development and architecture.[27] He became interested in the nearly 100-year-old California Iron Works building which had sat vacant in downtown Riverside, California since 1945.[27][28] He purchased the building and throughout 2001 renovated it into an office complex. This led to similar projects,[29][30] Currently, as the Blue Square Development Group (a subsidiary of TAMC),[31] he has now for several years been involved with both re-development of old properties and development of new housing in Riverside County.[32][33]
[edit] Partial filmography
[edit] Film and Television Producer
- State and Main (2000)
- Red Letters (2000)
- Thunderbox (2000) TV series
- Digging to China (1998) (producer)
- Pacific Blue (1996) TV series
- The Legend of Gator Face (1996)
- Embrace of the Vampire (1995)
- Erotic Confessions" (1994) TV series
[edit] Writer
- The Legend of Gator Face (1996) (writer)
[edit] Actor
- Red Letters (2000)
- Digging to China (1998)
[edit] References
- ^ Holden, Stephen. "Alan Mruvka". New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/person/236143/Alan-Mruvka. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ a b Slide, Anthony (1991). The television industry: a historical dictionary (illustrated ed.). Greenwood Press. pp. 94. ISBN 0-313-25634-9. OCLC 9780313256349. http://books.google.com/?id=z4EYAAAAIAAJ&q=alan-mruvka&dq=alan-mruvka.
- ^ "Alan Mruvka Credits". hollywood.com. http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/1115507/Alan_Mruvka_Credits. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ a b c "Alan Mruvka official bio". bluesquare.us. http://www.bluesquare.us/The_Alan_Mruvka_Company/Bios.html. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ^ Karlin, Beth (November 1, 2003). "Hollywood Moxie comes to Riverside". Retail Traffic. http://retailtrafficmag.com/mag/retail_hollywood_moxie_comes/. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ a b c d Dougherty, Philip H. (July 30, 1987). "Advertising; Promoting Movies Via Cable". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/30/business/advertising-promoting-movies-via-cable.html. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ "Performing Arts". Television/Radio Age (Television Editorial Corp.) 34: page 35. 1987. ISSN 0040-277X. http://books.google.com/?id=7We4AAAAIAAJ&q=alan-mruvka&dq=alan-mruvka.
- ^ Fries, Amy (2009). Daydreams at Work: Wake Up Your Creative Powers. Capital Books. pp. 103, 104. ISBN 1-933102-69-1. OCLC 9781933102696. http://books.google.com/?id=j8l3u2XSWYUC&pg=PA103&dq=alan-mruvka.
- ^ King, Susan (June 9, 1990). "E!-the Entertainment Channel Debuts Today Television: Former MTV exec Lee Masters revamps Movietime". Los Angeles Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/60065229.html?dids=60065229:60065229&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jun+01%2C+1990&author=SUSAN+KING&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=E!-the+Entertainment+Channel+Debuts+Today+Television%3A+Former+MTV+exec+Lee+Masters+revamps+Movietime.&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ Box Office Magazine, July 1990
- ^ "HBO to take over running of Movietime". Daily News of Los Angeles. August 17, 1989. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LA&p_theme=la&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EF56745D290C901&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
- ^ a b c Shirkani, K.D. (December 20, 1999). "Battle lines drawn in $10 mil Ministry suit - Producer Vance claims partner Mruvka kept her out of financial loop". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117760157.html?categoryid=18&cs=1. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ "Movietime duo planning fitness net". Multichannel News. April 12, 1993. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-13771516.html. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
- ^ Flint, Joe (October 14, 1993). "Fox in fight over FX. (FXTV Fitness and Exercise Television Inc. files suit against Fox Broadcasting Co. for use of similar name)". Broadcasting & Cable. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-14296965.html. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ "People - Alan Mruvka". Los Angeles Times. November 11, 1990. pp. Business; PART-D; Financial Desk, page 3. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59960952.html?dids=59960952:59960952&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Nov+11%2C+1990&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=PEOPLE&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ Weiner, Rex (October 1997). "Indie prod'n in flux, too. (shutdown of independent film projects just before lensing)". Variety. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb1437/is_199710/ai_n5942862/. Retrieved 2009-07-04.[dead link]
- ^ a b Fleeman, Michael (October 11, 1997). "Howard Stern sues studio for $1.5 million over ill-fated movie". tvmegasite.net. Associated Press. http://tvmegasite.net/prime/shows/howard/news.shtml. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ^ a b Holmes, Anna (October 24, 1997). "Pop Culture News - Monitor". ew.com (Entertainment Weekly). http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,289947,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ^ "Some Stern Warnings". Buffalo News. October 10, 1997. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9A73A049D619&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ^ "Stern Takes the Money". people.com (People). January 15, 1999. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,616374,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ^ "Ministry Sets Foreign Policy". allbusiness.com (Hollywood Reporter). November 4, 1998. http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4778888-1.html. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ^ "Producer Lance Vance". lukeford.net. http://www.lukeford.net/profiles/profiles/ladd_vance.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
- ^ a b c Schlosberg, Jeremy (April 4, 2000). "From the guy who put the ! in entertainment". Media Life. http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2000/apr00/news50404.html. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ^ a b c "E! Founder to Launch New Entertainment Website". writenews.com. The Write News. March 31, 2000. http://www.writenews.com/2000/033100_celebstreet.htm. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
- ^ "Entertainment Industry Websites". la-starz.com. http://www.la-starz.com/links.html. Retrieved 2009-07-04.[dead link]
- ^ Berkman, Leslie (July 12, 2008). "Inland condo projects shut down as single-family home foreclosures flood market". Press-Enterprise. http://www.pe.com/business/realestate/stories/PE_Biz_S_condos13.2ff32a8.html?ref=patrick.net. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ a b Dean, Jason (April 18, 2009). "IRONWORKS – The Fruits of Labor in Orange County". H Monthly. http://www.hmonthly.com/blog/2009/04/18/ironworks-fruits-labor-orange-county/. Retrieved 2009-06-26.[dead link]
- ^ Berkman, Leslie (March 28, 2002). "Cable-Network Founder Gets Hooked on Developing Riverside, Calif., Area". Press-Enterprise. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-8657143_ITM. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
- ^ Ascenzi, Joseph (May 20, 2002). "E! Network Founder Hopes to Spark Renewal in Riverside, Calif.". The Business Press. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-8621198_ITM. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
- ^ Wells, Devona (August 29, 2002). "Developer to Transform Riverside, Calif., Depot.". Press Enterprise. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-8789651_ITM. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
- ^ "Riverside County Transportation Commission". Riverside County Transportation Commission. June 13, 2007. http://www.rctc.org/downloads/8J.SW.RCTC.Riverside%20Downtown%20ENA.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-24.[dead link]
- ^ Osterwalder, Joan (February 8, 2007). "Proposed Riverside condos spark residents' praise, concerns". http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_R_rdevelop08.28c0dde.html. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ Ascenzi, Joseph (March 2, 2007). "A bright light for downtown". Inland Empire Business. http://www.thebizpress.com/news/stories/BP_News_Local_D_bp0226_focus-riverside.46181f8.html. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
