Lawrence Gordon (producer)

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Lawrence Gordon
Born (1936-03-25) March 25, 1936 (age 88)
Yazoo City, Mississippi
Occupation(s)Producer, executive
Years active1975–present
Children3

Lawrence Gordon (born March 25, 1936) is an American producer and motion picture executive.[1] He specializes in producing action-oriented films and other genres. Some of his most popular productions include Predator (1987), Die Hard (1988), Die Hard 2 (1990), Predator 2 (1990), Point Break (1991), Boogie Nights (1997) and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001).

Life and career

Gordon was raised in a Jewish family[2] in Belzoni, Mississippi. He graduated from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana. He has enjoyed a long career in film. After moving to Los Angeles he began his career working for Aaron Spelling. He quickly moved up the ranks and began co-producing for Spelling and in the early 1980s created the TV series Matt Houston.

In the 1970s he was a key executive at American International Pictures.[3]

He served as President of 20th Century Fox from 1984 to 1986.[4]

In 1989, he produced Field of Dreams, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. He subsequently formed Largo Entertainment which was backed by the Japanese company JVC.[5] This was revolutionary as it was the first time a Japanese company had seriously invested in a film enterprise. Under the Largo Entertainment banner, Gordon produced Point Break (1991), Mulholland Falls (1996), G.I. Jane (1997), and 23 other films.

In 1994, he left Largo. Gordon Company was split up into two companies Golar, in tandem with the Lawrence Gordon Productions shingle headed by Lawrence Gordon, and Daybreak Productions, headed up by Charles Gordon over the late 1990s.

Gordon also had an independent production deal with Universal Pictures under the shingle Lawrence Gordon Productions. Under Lawrence Gordon Productions, he produced Jumpin' Jack Flash, Boogie Nights, Mystery Men, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider franchise, the Hellboy franchise and Watchmen.

Gordon has been credited with giving some of the most prolific producers their start in entertainment such as Joel Silver, Scott Rudin, Amy Pascal, and James L. Brooks.

He has three children including filmmaker and musician, George Joseph Gordon, who is married to the sister of the late Wall Street Journal columnist Michael J. Ybarra.[6]

Selected filmography

All films, he was producer unless otherwise noted.

Film

Year Film Credit Notes
1973 Dillinger Executive producer
1975 Hard Times
1977 Rolling Thunder Executive producer
1978 The End
The Driver
Hooper Executive producer
1979 The Warriors
1980 Xanadu
1981 Paternity
1982 Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again
48 Hrs.
1984 Streets of Fire
1985 Brewster's Millions
1986 Jumpin' Jack Flash
1987 Predator
1988 The Couch Trip
The Wrong Guys Executive producer
Die Hard
1989 Leviathan Executive producer
Field of Dreams
K-9
Lock Up
Family Business
1990 Another 48 Hrs.
Die Hard 2
Predator 2
1991 The Rocketeer
1995 Waterworld
1997 The Devil's Own
Event Horizon
Boogie Nights Executive producer
1999 Mystery Men
K-911 Executive producer Direct-to-video
Thieves
2001 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
K-PAX
2002 K-9: P.I. Executive producer Direct-to-video
2003 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life
2004 Hellboy
2008 Hellboy II: The Golden Army
2009 Watchmen
2019 Hellboy
Miscellaneous crew
Year Film Notes
1991 Point Break President: Largo Entertainment
1992 Back in the USSR
Unlawful Entry
Dr. Giggles
Used People President: Largo Entertainment
Presenter
1994 Timecop President: Largo Entertainment
1995 Waterworld Presenter
1997 The Devil's Own
Event Horizon
1999 Mystery Men

Television

Year Title Credit Notes
1975 The Missing Are Deadly Executive producer Television film
Home Cookin' Executive producer Television film
1977 Dog and Cat Executive producer
Executive producer Television film
1978 Lacy and the Mississippi Queen Executive producer Television film
1980 Stunts Unlimited Executive producer Television film
1982 The Renegades Executive producer Television film
1983 Executive producer
Just Our Luck Executive producer
Lone Star Executive producer Television film
1984 The Streets Executive producer Television film
1982−84 Matt Houston Executive producer
1985 Our Family Honor Executive producer
1997 Timecop Executive producer
2006 Hellboy: Sword of Storms Executive producer Television film
2007 Hellboy: Blood and Iron Executive producer Television film
2019 Watchmen Consulting producer
TBA The Warriors
As writer
Year Title Notes
1982 The Renegades Television film
1983
1982−84 Matt Houston

References

  1. ^ The New York Times
  2. ^ Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life: "Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities – Belzoni, Mississippi" retrieved October 25, 2017
  3. ^ Taylor, Clarke (Oct 8, 1978). "Larry Gordon Rolls His Dice". Los Angeles Times. p. n35.
  4. ^ "New York Times Biography". New York Times. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  5. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/13/business/company-news-chief-quits-film-venture-financed-by-japanese.html
  6. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/07/business/media/michael-j-ybarra-author-and-extreme-sports-reporter-is-dead-at-45.html

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lawrence_Gordon_(producer)&oldid=963554535"