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Lawrence Gordon (producer)
American film, television and executive producer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Lawrence Gordon (born March 25, 1937) 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 48 Hours (1982), Predator (1987), Die Hard (1988), Die Hard 2 (1990), Predator 2 (1990), Point Break (1991), Boogie Nights (1997), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Hellboy (2004), and Watchmen (2009).
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Life and career
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Gordon was raised in a Jewish family[2] in Belzoni, Mississippi. He graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans. After moving to Los Angeles he began his producing career in 1964 working for Aaron Spelling and became writer and associate producer on the TV series Burke's Law. He quickly moved up the ranks and worked as an executive producer at ABC and at Screen Gems.[3]
In early 1968 Gordon joined American International Pictures. In August 1969 he was named vice president for motion picture and film development. He resigned in February 1970 to form his own company. In 1971 Gordon went to Screen Gems and he returned to AIP in January 1972 as head of production. Among the films released under his auspices were Slaughter and Boxcar Bertha.
He received credit as executive producer on John Milius's Dillinger (1973).[3]
Gordon left as worldwide production head in early 1974 to form his own company and did a deal with Columbia Pictures. Its first film was Hard Times (1975).[4][3] In 1978 he had two high-grossing films with Hooper and The End, both starring Burt Reynolds.[3]
Gordon and Walter Hill were going to make The Last Gun. Financing fell through so they made The Warriors instead.[5]
In the early 1980s, he created the TV series Matt Houston.
Gordon worked on multiple films in the 1970s and 1980s with fellow producer Joel Silver, most notably Streets of Fire and 48 Hrs.[6]
In July 1984, he replaced Joe Wizan as head of production at 20th Century Fox.[7] Two months later, he was appointed president of Fox Entertainment Group. In January 1986, he resigned as president and chief operating officer, citing poor health due to a heart condition.[8][9] He was planning to reactive Lawrence Gordon Productions in a two-year independent production deal with the studio.[8]
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.[10]
Gordon also had an independent production deal with Universal Pictures under the name Lawrence Gordon Productions. Under Lawrence Gordon Productions, he produced Jumpin' Jack Flash, Boogie Nights, Mystery Men, K-9, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Hellboy and its sequel The Golden Army, and Watchmen.
For three years, from 1986 until its founding of Largo in 1989, Lawrence Gordon Productions was based at 20th Century Fox, sometimes heading under the name Gordon Company.[11]
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Selected filmography
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He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
Films made while head of production at AIP
- Coffy
- Slaughter
- Boxcar Bertha
- Dr Phibes Rides Again
- Blacula
- The Thing with Two Heads
- Slaughter 2
- Dillinger
- Sugar Hill
- Little Cigars
- Madhouse
- Heavy Traffic
- Black Caesar
- The Sisters
- Cannibal Girls
- The Land that Time Forgot (initial deal done)
- Fritz the Cat
- Macon County Line
- The Black Windmill
- Golden Needles
- Truck Turner
- Black Mama White Mama
- Scream Blacula Scream
- Foxy Brown
Film
- Miscellaneous crew
- Thanks
Television
- As writer
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References
External links
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