Keith Barish

Barish was born in Los Angeles.{{cite news|last=Suplee|first=Curt|title=The Passion of the producer|date=7 June 1981|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/1981/06/07/the-passion-of-the-producer/09bc08c7-2462-48a8-a6b9-d6d871afd579/|access-date=1 September 2019}} He moved to Miami at the age of three, when his parents divorced.

In the early 1960's, Barish interned for one year in the White House under the administration of John F. Kennedy. In 1962, he was instrumental in starting the Manufacturers National Bank in the Miami suburb of Hialeah, Florida. At the time he was only 18, so that he requested his mother to sit for him in shareholders meetings.{{cite book|last1=Raw|first1=Charles|last2=Page|first2=Bruce|last3=Hodgson|first3=Godfrey|date=1971|title="Do You Sincerely Want to Be Rich?" The Full Story of Bernard Cornfeld and IOS|sbn=670-28063-1|location=New York|publisher=The Viking Press}} In 1967, Barish was already wealthy and had gained fame as a "financial whiz kid around Miami" when he started a mutual fund offshore company with investments in American real estate known as Gramco.{{cite news|last=Lee|first=John M.|title=Offshore funds encountering a skeptical investor attitude|date=12 October 1970|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/12/archives/offshore-funds-encountering-a-skeptical-investor-attitude-offshore.html|access-date=11 August 2023}} It was structured as a holding company with GRAMCO International S.A. at the top, which was registered in Panama. A trust company was set up in the Bahamas to sell shares of Gramco's stock, but only to customers outside the United States so that it avoided oversight from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It was chaired by Rafael G. Navarro, a Cuban exile who was sought out by Barish for his expertise as mutual funds sales manager. With Barish as chairman of the top holding company, Gramco went public in May 1969, issuing one million shares for $10 each. Gramco basked in the aura of the former Kennedy administration having hired a number of its alumni, including Pierre Salinger as a director.{{cite magazine|title=Investment: Pierre as financier|date=13 September 1968|magazine=Time|url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,838707-2,00.html|access-date=12 August 2023}} Otherwise, Gramco's advertising literature quoted Barish as saying that "we are engaged in a system that uses money for social good… to prevent economic injustice, and make the world a better place" and it also assured that Barish had "larger goals than merely making a lot of money." On the other hand, Gramco invited scrutiny for unusual financial practices that enabled Barish and its associates to keep between 17% and 18% of their customers' investments for their own profit.{{cite magazine|title=Möglichst imposant|date=13 September 1970|magazine=Der Spiegel|url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/moeglichst-imposant-a-069c8a9c-0002-0001-0000-000044906573|access-date=12 August 2023}} Gramco was also criticized for conducting operations that would have been illegal in the United States and Great Britain.{{cite book|last=Gross|first=Michael|date=2005|title=740 Park, The Story of the World's Richest Apartment Building|isbn=9780767917445|location=New York|publisher=Broadway Books}} For a while, Gramco was very successful, as it accumulated net assets amounting to $278 millions and its shares climbed to $38. In August 1970, Barish declared to the editorial staff of der Spiegel: "It would be more likely for a giant to lift the Empire State Building from the ground and place it back on its head than for Gramco to run into serious difficulties."{{cite magazine|title=Es ist Schluß|date=11 October 1970|magazine=Der Spiegel|url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/es-ist-schluss-a-ec79651b-0002-0001-0000-000044418035|access-date=12 August 2023}} Yet, only shortly thereafter did Gramco's shares fall precipitously to $1.50 as the result of a cash drain that was attributed to its unorthodox financial practices, the impact of a sales ban in West Germany, and a loss of investors' confidence in offshore funds.{{cite news|last=Lee|first=John M.|title=Redemptions imperil Gramco's fund|date=6 October 1970|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/06/archives/redemptions-imperil-gramcos-fund.html|access-date=11 August 2023}} On October 8, Gramco halted the redemption and sales of its stock, essentially freezing the assets of 23,000 shareholders whose investments amounted on average to $12,000.{{cite news|last=Lee|first=John M.|title=Gramco suspends U.S.I.F. sales|date=9 October 1970|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/09/archives/gramco-suspends-usif-sales-temporary-halt-put-on-redemptions-by.html|access-date=11 August 2023}} Even then, Gramco's management made further profits as it kept charging fees for managing the funds' assets.{{cite magazine|title=In den Sternen|date=25 October 1970|magazine=Der Spiegel|url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/in-den-sternen-a-66be945d-0002-0001-0000-000043787188|access-date=12 August 2023}} In 1971, profits from the Gramco venture allegedly enabled Barish to move to 740 Park Avenue and pursue an affluent lifestyle.{{cite magazine|first=Michael|last=Shnayerson|title=All The best victims|date=3 August 2010|magazine=Vanity Fair|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/09/kenneth-starr-201009|access-date=11 August 2023}} In contrast, Barish has stated that his fortune was made in Florida land deals. He has also claimed to be unconcerned about public criticism leveled at his role with Gramco, saying "I never read the good or the bad. It comes with the territory." In May 1972, the management of Gramco's portfolio was transferred to Arlen Realty and Development Corporation.{{cite news|last=Sloane|first=Leonard M.|title=2 billion in real estate now controlled by Arlen|date=23 May 1972|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/05/15/archives/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/23/archives/2billion-in-real-estate-now-controlled-by-arlen.html|access-date=11 August 2023}} In 1973, a $40 million class action lawsuit was filed against Barish and company by two Gramco shareholders. Among other claims, the plaintiffs asserted that "Gramco International, a Panamanian corporation [...] was allegedly formed to allow Barish and his associates to establish themselves in a jurisdiction where their interests and receipt of fees and commissions could be concealed".{{cite web|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/408/1189/1874051/|title=Recaman v. Barish, 408 F. Supp. 1189 (E.D. Pa. 1975)|access-date=12 August 2023}} However, the action was dismissed in 1975 due to the court's lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Also in 1975, Gramco's shareholders regained access to their stock as the fund was absorbed by Arlen, but it was then traded at a small fraction of its original value.{{cite magazine|title=Drei Musketiere|date=20 July 1975|magazine=Der Spiegel|url=https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/drei-musketiere-a-e90acff9-0002-0001-0000-000041458247|access-date=12 August 2023}}

Barish officially became a film producer in 1979 and first produced the film Endless Love (1981), followed by Sophie's Choice (1982).{{cite news|last=Harmetz|first=Aljean|title=BARISH BUYS FILM RIGHTS TO FEMINIST MUSICAL 'ACT'|date=17 February 1981|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/02/17/movies/barish-buys-film-rights-to-feminist-musical-act.html|access-date=1 September 2019}} He then subsequently set up a nine-picture production deal at 20th Century-Fox through a three-year alliance via the Keith Barish Productions banner.{{Cite news|last=Loynd|first=Ray|date=1983-04-13|title=Indie Barish Follows Initial Click with Nine-Film Fox Deal|page=7|work=Variety}}

Barish then served as chairman of Taft Entertainment/Keith Barish Productions, which he co-founded in 1984 with a subsidiary of Taft Broadcasting, with 20th Century-Fox intended as film distributor, then Tri-Star Pictures took over Fox's duties.{{Cite news|date=1984-05-02|title=Taft Entertainment, Barish Form Pact|page=4|work=Variety}}

On December 31, 1985, Taft-Barish Productions inked an agreement with Producers Sales Organization (later the duties were assumed by J&M Entertainment after PSO went bankrupt) to handle worldwide sales of its own films, with Tri-Star Pictures handling film distribution.{{Cite news|last=Greenberg|first=James|date=1986-01-01|title=PSO Acquires Worldwide Distrib For 10 Produced By Taft-Barish|page=3|work=Variety}} On August 13, 1986, film director Taylor Hackford, filed a lawsuit against Keith Barish's production company for breaching an agreement to co-develop the film At Play in the Fields of the Lord, with Barrish getting a development option from MGM/UA.{{Cite news|date=1986-08-13|title=Sue Barrish Prods. Over 'Lord' Pact|page=20|work=Variety}} At one point, Barish was attached to produce The Flintstones (1994).{{cite magazine|last=Pirnia|first=Garin|title=15 Solid Facts About The Flintstones|date=30 September 2017|magazine=Mental Floss|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/81462/15-solid-facts-about-flintstones|access-date=1 September 2019}}{{cite magazine|last3=Kennedy|first3=Dana|last2=Gordinier|first2=Jeff|last1=Ascher-Walsh|first1=Rebecca|title=Bringing The Flintstones to the big screen|date=3 June 1994|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url=https://ew.com/article/1994/06/03/bringing-flintstones-big-screen/|access-date=1 September 2019}}

On August 20, 1986, Taft/Barish Productions had inked a $200 million agreement with Tri-Star Pictures to handle four to six films per year, with production and distribution costs will be funded entirely by Taft/Barish, a joint venture of Taft Motion Pictures and Keith Barish Productions.{{Cite news|last=Tusher|first=Will|date=1986-08-20|title=Taft/Barish Pacts With Tri-Star For 10 Pics, With More Possible|page=7|work=Variety}} On October 8, 1986, Rob Cohen was appointed vice chairman of Keith Barish's production company, and served as executive producer on most of the Taft-Barish projects.{{Cite news|date=1986-10-08|title=Cohen Barish Chair|page=5|work=Variety}} In August 1987, Taft-Barish Productions and Tri-Star Pictures decided to scale down projects from four-to-six to two-to-three projects yearly, with a new emphasis on higher budgeted, high quality films, rather than having a previous mixture of various product that the original agreement had to offer.{{Cite news |date=1987-08-19 |title=Taft-Barish Deal With Tri-Star Pared Down To 2-3 Pics Yearly |pages=6, 36 |work=Variety}} In October 1987, ahead of MIFED, the international film rights to the Taft-Barish projects in a group package were picked up by J&M Entertainment, a foreign sales distributor, after the collapse of defunct film distributor Producers Sales Organization, and certain sales of the Taft-Barish projects were assigned to another Taft Broadcasting subsidiary Worldvision Enterprises, which will retain film and television rights on the four Taft-Barish group pictures.{{Cite news |date=1987-10-21 |title=J&M Entertainment's Milan Lineup Includes Four From Taft-Barish |page=442 |work=Variety}}

In 1991, Barish and Robert Earl co-founded Planet Hollywood.{{cite web|title=Planet Hollywood sets expansion|date=30 May 1996|publisher=United Press International|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/05/30/Planet-Hollywood-sets-expansion/3028833428800/|access-date=1 September 2019}}{{cite web|title=Cash for Planet Hollywood|date=6 August 1999|publisher=CNN|url=https://money.cnn.com/1999/08/06/deals/planethollywood/|access-date=1 September 2019}}{{cite news|last=Siklos|first=Richard|title=Savor Those Curly Fries: Planet Hollywood Is Back (Again)|date=24 September 2007|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/24/business/24planet.html|access-date=1 September 2019}} Barish left Planet Hollywood in 1999.{{cite magazine|last=Johnson|first=Beth|title=Planet of the Aches|date=26 October 2001|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url=https://ew.com/article/2001/10/26/planet-aches/|access-date=1 September 2019}}{{cite news|last=Snyder|first=Jack|title=CO-FOUNDER DEPARTS PLANET HOLLYWOOD JOB|date=26 March 1999|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1999-03-26-9903250864-story.html|access-date=1 September 2019}}{{cite news|title=Planet Hollywood co-founder resigns|date=27 March 1999|newspaper=Deseret News|url=https://www.deseret.com/1999/3/27/19436632/planet-hollywood-co-founder-resigns|access-date=1 September 2019}}

Barish is married to socialite Ann Barish. They have a son, Chris.{{cite magazine|last=Preston|first=Sarah|title=All Shook Up|date=8 October 2007|magazine=Chicago|url=https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/October-2007/All-Shook-Up/|access-date=1 September 2019}}{{cite magazine|last=Sheckells|first=Melinda|title=What's New in Las Vegas for the New Year|date=29 December 2017|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/whats-new-las-vegas-new-year-1070656|access-date=1 September 2019}}

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

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Category:Film people from Los Angeles

Category:American restaurateurs

Category:Film producers from Florida

Category:1944 births

Category:Living people

Category:Mass media people from Miami

Category:American television producers

Category:American animated film producers