Michael Lynne

Michael Lynne (April 23, 1941 – March 24, 2019) was an American film executive, best known as the former co-chair of New Line Cinema alongside its founder Robert Shaye.

Michael Lynne
Born	(1941-04-23)April 23, 1941 Brooklyn, New York
Died	March 24, 2019(2019-03-24) (aged 77) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Alma mater	Brooklyn College Columbia University
Occupation	Film executive

Biography

Michael Lynne graduated from Brooklyn College (1961) and held a Juris Doctor from Columbia University.^[1][2] After a chance encounter with law-school acquaintance Shaye, who had subsequently founded New Line, Lynne joined the company as outside legal counsel in the early 1980s.^[3] In 1990, he was appointed president and chief operating officer of the studio, and in 2001, he was made co-chairman and co-chief executive officer.

Lynne started to collect wine and bought two vineyards on Long Island in 1999 and 2000.^[4]

In February 2008, Shaye and Lynne were dismissed from New Line in advance of its restructuring as a unit of Warner Bros.^[3] That June, the two formed a new independent film company called Unique Features.^[5]

Lynne died of cancer on March 24, 2019, aged 77.^[6][7]