Roger Birnbaum

{{Infobox person

| name = Roger Birnbaum

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|11|14}}{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/53/Roger-Birnbaum.html |title=Roger Birnbaum Biography (1950?-) |website = Filmreference.com |access-date=December 15, 2011}}

| birth_place = Teaneck, New Jersey, U.S.

| occupation = Film and television producer, film and television executive

| spouse = Pamela West (divorced)
{{marriage|Leslie Lopez|2013|2019}}

| children = 1

| partner = Teri Garr (1979–1983)

}}

Roger Birnbaum (born November 14, 1950) is an American film, television, and executive producer.{{cite web | url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=tourist.htm | title=The Tourist | website= Box Office Mojo}}{{cite web | url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=rushhour2.htm | title=Rush Hour 2 | website=Box Office Mojo | access-date=August 20, 2013}}

Early life

Birnbaum was born to a Jewish family{{cite news| url= http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?n=norman-birnbaum&pid=95491472 |work= The New York Times| title= Norman Birnbaum – Obituary| date= October 2, 2007}} in Teaneck, New Jersey,{{cite web| last= Spelling| first= Ian| url= http://www.bergen.com/othernews/Let_the_Lion_Roar_Teaneck_native_Roger_Birnbaum_shines_brightly_in_Hollywood.html |title= Let the Lion Roar: Teaneck native Roger Birnbaum shines brightly in Hollywood| work= (201) magazine; Bergen.com| date= June 1, 2011| access-date= October 6, 2011| quote= Much of the producer's touch, the instinct that drives Birnbaum to financially back a script or to help nurture a pitch into a script and then into a feature, and his overall taste as a filmmaker, can be traced back to his formative years in Teaneck. He was raised there and attended Teaneck High School.}} the son of Arlene (née Steinlauf) and Norman Birnbaum. His father was a World War II veteran who went into the embroidery business with his father after the war, and used his profits in 1967 to build the Stonehenge, a residential building in New Jersey. Birnbaum graduated from Teaneck High School in 1968 and attended the University of Denver.{{cite web | url= http://www.cftnm.ucsb.edu/people/advisory_bios.html | title= Advisory Board Biographies | publisher= Carsey-Wolf Center for Film, Television and New Media, University of California, Santa Barbara | website= ucsb.edu | access-date= March 6, 2008 | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080305021146/http://www.cftnm.ucsb.edu/people/advisory_bios.html | archive-date= March 5, 2008 }}

Career

Birnbaum started out in the music industry at Arista Records working under Clive Davis. A&M Records brought him out to Hollywood becoming its West Coast A&R executive, where he switch over to film. While working at film, he was appointed president of Fair Dinkum Productions, which was headed by Henry Winkler, who supervised Young Sherlock Holmes and The Sure Thing.{{Cite web|title=Roger Birnbaum|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/16466%7C0/Roger-Birnbaum/|access-date=December 14, 2021|website=Turner Classic Movies|language=en}} He worked at United Artists, Guber-Peters Co. (president in 1989) then 20th Century Fox.{{cite news |last1=Galloway |first1=Stephen |title='Magnificent Seven' Producer on Why Westerns Aren't Dead and How Cancer Changed Him |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/magnificent-seven-producer-why-westerns-925593 |access-date=July 2, 2020 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=September 8, 2016 |language=en}} He was president of production at 20th Century Fox by 1992.{{cite news|last=Frook|first=John Evan|title=Roth, Birnbaum flex muscles at Caravan|url=https://variety.com/1994/film/news/roth-birnbaum-flex-muscles-at-caravan-117880/|access-date=March 19, 2015|work=Variety|date=January 30, 1994}}

Caravan Pictures was founded by Birnbaum and Joe Roth as a production company at Disney in 1992 to fill the Disney Studios' then-yearly 50 to 60 production and distribution slots. Birnbaum previously left Caravan at the prompting of then Disney studio chief Joe Roth as Disney was cutting its yearly production output and shutting down Caravan. In August 1998, Birnbaum with Gary Barber, former vice chairman and COO of Morgan Creek Productions founded Spyglass Entertainment.{{cite news |last1=Eller |first1=Clauida |title=Spyglass Offers Disney Lower-Risk Deals |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-21-fi-15109-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=August 21, 1998 |access-date=April 10, 2019}}

On December 20, 2010, after the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had emerged from bankruptcy, Birnbaum and Barber became co-Chairs and co-CEOs of the studio.{{cite magazine |last=Agard |first=Chancellor |url=http://news-briefs.ew.com/2010/12/20/mgm-out-of-bankruptcy |title=MGM out of bankruptcy |magazine = Entertainment Weekly |date=December 20, 2010 |access-date=July 20, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906210353/http://news-briefs.ew.com/2010/12/20/mgm-out-of-bankruptcy/ |archive-date=September 6, 2014 }}{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2010/film/news/mgm-restructuring-becomes-official-1118029320/ |title=MGM restructuring becomes official |work=Variety |date=December 20, 2010 |access-date=July 20, 2014 |first=Dave |last=McNary}} On October 3, 2012, Birnbaum announced his intention to exit his role as an MGM executive and return to "hands-on" producing. He will remain with the studio to produce films on "an exclusive basis".{{cite news|author=Nikki Finke |url=https://deadline.com/2012/10/mgm-co-chairman-ceo-roger-birnbaum-steps-down-will-become-producer-gary-barber-to-become-sole-chairman-ceo-347366/ |title=MGM's Roger Birnbaum Steps Down To Return To Producing; Gary Barber Now Revived Studio's Sole Chairman & CEO |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=October 3, 2012 |access-date=August 6, 2014}}

He has since founded four production companies, Pin High Productions, Cave 76 Productions,{{cite news |last1=D'Alessandro |first1=Anthony |title=Annapurna To Release MGM's 'Death Wish' Over Thanksgiving; Sets October Date For 'Professor Marston & The Wonder Women' |url=https://deadline.com/2017/06/death-wish-professor-marston-the-wonder-women-trailer-annapurna-sets-fall-release-dates-1202109899/ |access-date=July 2, 2020 |work=Deadline |date=June 8, 2017 |language=en}} with Eli Roth, Arts District Entertainment{{Cite web|last=McNary|first=Dave|date=March 26, 2019|title=Film News Roundup: Miramax Developing 'I Won't Be Home for Christmas'|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/miramax-i-wont-be-home-for-christmas-1203172246/|access-date=June 6, 2021|website=Variety|language=en-US}} and with Mark Kimsey, Electromagnetic Productions.{{Cite web |last=Low |first=Elaine |title=Former MGM chief Roger Birnbaum and AOL scion Mark Kimsey launch a new Hollywood studio, offering NFTs that give holders a role in production |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/former-mgm-ceo-birnbaum-kimsey-launch-studio-electromagnetic-nft-2022-2 |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} By September 8, 2016, his exclusivity with MGM had ended.

Personal life

His first wife was Pamela West;{{cite news| url= http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=Lorand-West&pid=113237939 |work= Los Angeles Times |title= Lorand West Obituary| date= July 13, 2008}} they had one daughter Claire Birnbaum Block (b. 1987).{{cite web| url= https://issuu.com/cdigital/docs/78 |work= issuu.com; C Magazine| title= Going Steady| quote=Claire Birnbaum and Eric Block ... husband and wife... Roger Birnbaum (then co-CEO of MGM) gave away his little girl...| date= January 1, 2013 |access-date= January 29, 2018 | page= 114}} He married then-restaurant guest relations manager Leslie Lopez in 2013.{{cite news| url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-courtney-simmons-weds-409640 |title= Warner Bros.' Courtney Simmons Weds, 'CSI:NY' Actor A.J. Buckley Engaged: Hitched, Hatched, Hired |work=The Hollywood Reporter |quote=Producer Roger Birnbaum became engaged to ... Leslie Lopez ... on Dec. 15 | date= January 10, 2013 |access-date= January 29, 2018}}{{cite web| url= http://www.gettyimages.ie/detail/news-photo/leslie-lopez-birnbaum-and-ceo-chairman-sony-pictures-news-photo/170087119?#leslie-lopez-birnbaum-and-ceo-chairman-sony-pictures-entertainment-picture-id170087119 |title= 41st AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Mel Brooks – Red Carpet| website= gettyimages.ie |quote=Leslie Lopez Birnbaum ... and Roger Birnbaum |date=June 6, 2013 |access-date= January 29, 2018}} Birnbaum and Lopez divorced in 2019. He was previously in a seven-year relationship with actress Teri Garr.{{cite news| url= http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-10-30/features/8802110709_1_teri-garr-honky-tonk-freeway-black-stallion |work= Chicago Tribune| title=Is Teri Garr Serious When She Says She Isn't Serious? On Tour, The Actress Drops Her Comedic Guard| first= Teri| last= Garr| interviewer= Johanna Steinmetz| date= October 30, 1988 |quote= Well, I lived with two men, one for seven years, the other for five. I was with Birnbaum (Roger Birnbaum, an independent producer) for seven. That was like a marriage.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328175553/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-10-30/features/8802110709_1_teri-garr-honky-tonk-freeway-black-stallion|archive-date=2014-03-28|url-status=dead}}

Filmography

=Film=

Producer

The Sure Thing (1985)
The Three Musketeers (1993)
Angels in the Outfield (1994)
A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994)
Houseguest (1995)
The Jerky Boys: The Movie (1995)
Heavyweights (1995)
Tall Tale (1995)
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
The Big Green (1995)
Powder (1995)
Celtic Pride (1996)
First Kid (1996)
The Rich Man's Wife (1996)
Metro (1997)
Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
Gone Fishin' (1997)
G.I. Jane (1997)
Washington Square (1997)
RocketMan (1997)
Six Days, Seven Nights (1998)
Simon Birch (1998)
Rush Hour (1998)
Holy Man (1998)
Inspector Gadget (1999)
Shanghai Noon (2000)
Rush Hour 2 (2001)
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Dragonfly (2002)
Abandon (2002)
Reign of Fire (2002)
The Recruit (2003)
Shanghai Knights (2003)
The Perfect Score (2004)
Connie and Carla (2004)
Mr. 3000 (2004)
The Pacifier (2005)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
The Lookout (2007)
The Invisible (2007)
Evan Almighty (2007)
Rush Hour 3 (2007)
Underdog (2007)
Balls of Fury (2007)
27 Dresses (2008)
Flash of Genius (2008)
Four Christmases (2008)
Leap Year (2010)
The Tourist (2010)
The Vow (2012)
The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Death Wish (2018)
The Hustle (2019)
South of Heaven (2021)
Thanksgiving (2023){{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=2023-03-16 |title=Gina Gershon, Rick Hoffman And Tim Dillon Round Out Cast Of Eli Roth's Thanksgiving At TriStar And Spyglass |url=https://deadline.com/2023/03/gina-gershon-rick-hoffman-tim-dillion-eli-roth-thanksgiving-tristar-spyglass-1235300809/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}
Absolution (2024)

Executive producer

Who's That Girl (1987)
Angie (1994)
Before and After (1996)
Maximum Risk (1996)
The Beautician and the Beast (1997)
Overnight Delivery (1997) (Direct-to-video)
Keeping the Faith (2000)
Unbreakable (2000)
Out Cold (2001)
Inspector Gadget 2 (2003) (Direct-to-video)
Bruce Almighty (2003)
One Love (2003)
Seabiscuit (2003)
The Legend of Zorro (2005)
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
Eight Below (2006)
Stay Alive (2006)
Stick It (2006)
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008)
The Ruins (2008)
The Happening (2008)
Wanted (2008)
The Love Guru (2008)
Ghost Town (2008)
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)
Invictus (2009)
Dinner for Schmucks (2010)
No Strings Attached (2011)
Footloose (2011)
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)
RoboCop (2014)
Glass (2019)
Know Your Enemy (2019)

Special thanks

Rain Man (1988)
Dead Presidents (1995)
Above Suspicion (2019)

;Acting role

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes

1998

Making Sandwiches

Hollywood Type

Short film

= Television =

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;float:left; margin-right:2em;" \|+ Executive producer ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" \| Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" \| Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" \| Notes
1984	CBS Schoolbreak Special
1985 \| Happily Ever After	rowspan=5\| TV movie
1987	Bay Coven
rowspan=2\| 1997	Angels in the Endzone
Flash
2000	Angels in the Infield
rowspan=2\| 2003	Miracles
Criminology 101	rowspan=3\| TV movie
rowspan=2\| 2004	The Ranch
Weekends

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;float:left; margin-right:2em;" \|+ Producer ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" \| Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" \| Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" \| Notes
rowspan=2\| 1983	Ryan's Four
When Your Lover Leaves	rowspan=2\| TV movie
1985	Scandal Sheet