Jerry Weintraub | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Weintraub in 1975 | |
| Born | Jerome Charles Weintraub (1937-09-26)September 26, 1937 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 6, 2015(2015-07-06) (aged 77) |
| Resting place | Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1974–2015 |
| Spouses | |
| Partner | Susan Ekins (1995–2015; his death) |
| Children | 4 |
Jerome Charles Weintraub (September 26, 1937 – July 6, 2015) was an American film producer, talent manager and actor whose television films won him threeEmmys.[1][2]
He began his career as a talent agent, having managed known singerJohn Denver in 1970, developing Denver's success through concerts, television specials, and film roles, includingOh, God! (1977). Weintraub has been credited with making "show business history" by being the first to organize and manage large arena concert tours for singers. Among the other performers whose tours he managed wereElvis Presley,Frank Sinatra,The Four Seasons,Neil Diamond,Bob Dylan,Led Zeppelin,Three Dog Night andThe Carpenters.
Following his years as a concert promoter, he began producing films. Among them were directorRobert Altman'sNashville (1975),Barry Levinson'sDiner (1982), the first five films fromThe Karate Kid franchise, as well as the remakeOcean's Eleven (2001), and its two sequels. Later, he was executive producer of HBO's seriesThe Brink and HBO'sBehind the Candelabra in 2013, which won an Emmy. In 2014, he won another Emmy as co-producer ofYears of Living Dangerously, a television documentary aboutglobal warming. In 2011, HBO broadcast a television documentary about Weintraub's life, calledHis Way.
Weintraub was born to aJewish family inBrooklyn, and raised inthe Bronx, the son of Rose (née Bass) and Samuel Weintraub.[3] His father was a gem dealer.[4] While growing up, he worked as a theater usher and as a waiter in the Catskills.[5]
After several years atMCA, where he first started work as a mailroom clerk, he left and formed his own personal management company. While at MCA, he was assistant toLew Wasserman, whom he reportedly thought of as a father figure.[5]
In the 1960s, he co-founded the vocal groupThe Doodletown Pipers. Among the acts that Weintraub managed at this time werePaul Anka,Shelley Berman,Pat Boone,Joey Bishop,The Four Seasons,Jackson Browne,Jimmy Buffett, and singerJane Morgan, whom he would later marry.[6]
Weintraub was the manager of singer and actorJohn Denver whom he signed in 1970. Weintraub first saw Denver performing at a small club inGreenwich Village and liked his easy, "mountaineer's" manner. Weintraub produced a dozen television music specials starring Denver, winning an Emmy for one of them.[7] Later, he produced the filmOh, God! (1977), starring Denver andGeorge Burns. After Denver became a major success as a singer, he bought Weintraub aRolls-Royce as a thank you gift. Weintraub said, "I couldn't help thinking that it wasn't too long ago that neither of us had bus fare."[7] Denver and Weintraub's professional relationship ended acrimoniously, however, he regretted not being reconciled with Denver before the singer's death.[8][9]
In 1970, Weintraub convincedElvis Presley and his manager,Col. Tom Parker, to do Presley's first national tour, something they had not considered, as Presley was by then a successful film star. The tour, with a modern sound system created for it, helped develop Weintraub's career as a concert promoter.[7]
He next promoted a tour forFrank Sinatra in 1974, whom Weintraub first put inMadison Square Garden's boxing arena. For the previous six years, Sinatra had basically retired due to the failure of his last album. Weintraub convinced him to do a tour, which led to Sinatra's "transformation from saloon singer to stadium singer", wrote biographerWill Friedwald. "When Frank came out of retirement and started doing stadiums, he didn't know if he would draw," recalled guitaristAl Viola. "Weintraub deserves most of the credit (after Sinatra, that is) for pulling this off," says Friedwald.[10]
Bob Dylan signed with Weintraub in 1978 after watching aNeil Diamond concert in Las Vegas, knowing that Weintraub managed the event.[11] Dylan began a world tour beginning in Japan which continued through Europe and the US, performing 114 shows in front of two million people.[12]
BiographerDavid Morrell writes, "We take this for granted now, but Weintraub's ability to organize these massive concerts made show-business history."[13]Led Zeppelin manager,Peter Grant, recalls that Weintraub worked hard at putting on these large shows. "It was an event," Grant says. And "Jerry Weintraub loved it."[14] Weintraub acknowledged his motivations: "When I believe in something, it's going to get done," he wrote in his autobiography.[6]
Weintraub also managed or promoted concerts for such musical acts asCuba Gooding Sr.,the Main Ingredient,the Carpenters,the Moody Blues, andthe Beach Boys.[7]
"When it comes to work, nobody works harder. When it comes to charities, nobody guilts better. And when it comes to friendship, he has no peers. That's Jerry's great talent. He doesn't just light up a room, he lights it on fire. He's a great producer, a great organizer, a great friend, and truly the greatest showman on earth."
Weintraub's first film as a producer wasRobert Altman'sNashville (1975). Until then,United Artists producerDavid Picker had dismissed the script and would not make the film. A short time later, Weintraub was hosting a party for John Denver in New York, and among the guests he invited was Altman, whom he admired but had never met. "Altman pulled Weintraub aside", recalled screenwriter,Joan Tewkesbury, "and over a shared joint", Altman told Weintraub about the script. After another meeting with Altman, Weintraub was hooked on the story. However, no studio wanted to work with Altman, telling Weintraub that the director was a "pain in the ass". Weintraub eventually managed to find investors and gave Altman the $2 million he needed to make the film.[15]
FollowingNashville , Weintraub's credits as producer over the next few years includedOh, God! (1977),September 30, 1955 (1978),Cruising (1980),All Night Long (1981), andDiner (1982).
In July 1985, he became chairman and chief executive officer of the board of trustees of theLos Angeles International Film Exposition (Filmex) but oversaw its demise with the board agreeing to merge with theAmerican Cinematheque in January 1986 and all but one employee leaving.[16]
The success ofThe Karate Kid (1984), ledKirk Kerkorian, then owner ofMGM/UA, to appoint Weintraub as chairman and CEO of the neglected United Artists division in November 1985, with Weintraub acquiring a minority stake, but clashes between the two men led to Weintraub's departure after five months.[17][18]The Karate Kid had several sequels, all produced by Weintraub,The Karate Kid Part II (1986),The Karate Kid Part III (1989) andThe Next Karate Kid (1994).
Weintraub formedWeintraub Entertainment Group (WEG) in February 1987 with $461 million in financing fromColumbia Pictures,Cineplex Odeon and others. WEG also signed a 20-year distribution deal with Columbia, and planned to release seven or more movies per year.[19] In 1990 WEG filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Weintraub would then produce forWarner Bros. WEG also subsequently settled a suit brought against it by Columbia.[20][21]
Weintraub's later films as producer wereHappy New Year (1987),Pure Country (1992),The Specialist (1994),Vegas Vacation (1997),The Newton Boys (1998),The Avengers (1998),Soldier (1998),Nancy Drew (2007),The Karate Kid (2010), and the2001 remake ofOcean's Eleven, for which he founded the company JW Productions. In addition to producing the sequelsOcean's Twelve (2004) andOcean's Thirteen (2007), he appeared in all theOcean's films. Weintraub had a small role inVegas Vacation (1997) as "Gilly from Philly" a high roller casino gambler with two pals, and inThe Firm (1993).
He was executive producer of HBO's series,The Brink, and HBO'sBehind the Candelabra in 2013, an Emmy-winning drama about the last ten years in the life of pianistLiberace.[22] In 2014, he also won an Emmy as co-producer ofYears of Living Dangerously, a television documentary aboutglobal warming.[23]
A television documentary film about Weintraub's life, calledHis Way, directed byDouglas McGrath, was broadcast onHBO in 2011. On a 2010 television appearance ofThe View, Weintraub made a handshake deal withWhoopi Goldberg to play the next God in a futureOh, God! sequel, should a favorable script become available. Weintraub had agreed to produce a new adaptation ofThe Legend of Tarzan forWarner Bros. which was released on July 1, 2016.[6][24]
Weintraub led some very successful campaign fundraisers for theRepublican Party and was good at fundraising.[16] He was a major contributor to many charities, including theLos Angeles County Museum of Art, theMuseum of Contemporary Art, theMusic Center, theUCLA School of Dentistry and theChildren's Museum of Los Angeles. In 1988, theAmerican Friends of the Hebrew University gave Weintraub and his wife, Jane, the Scopus Award in gratitude for their support. He was also a major supporter ofChabad and was close with theLubavitcher Rebbe.[25]
He also began doing charitable work to help stop the ongoing genocide taking place inDarfur in 2007. Weintraub,Matt Damon,George Clooney,Don Cheadle, andBrad Pitt cofounded the nonprofit organization,Not On Our Watch, dedicated to preventing mass killings in Darfur and other areas of the world. They raised $9.3 million to aid their relief efforts.[26]
Weintraub was married twice. His first wife was Janice Greenberg, a dentist's daughter from his Bronx neighborhood who had been singerJulius La Rosa's secretary.[27] They had a son.
Weintraub's second wife was singer and actressJane Morgan, who was 13 years his senior. Their relationship went from professional to personal and the two were married in 1965 when she was 41 and he was 28. They adopted three daughters. The couple separated in the 1980s, but never divorced. For 20 years until his death, Weintraub had been living with his partner, Susan Ekins.[7]
Weintraub supported both political parties at various times in his life. However, it is widely noted that he was friends with bothGeorge H. W. Bush andRonald Reagan.[7] He also had a strong spiritual side, which he once described to television hostLarry King. He was a devotee of TheLubavitcher Rebbe and believed in his mystical powers.[28]
Weintraub died fromcardiac arrest inSanta Barbara, California, on July 6, 2015, at the age of 77.[29][7][30][31]
Following the announcement of his death, celebrities and friends paid tribute to Weintraub. "Jerry was an American original, who earned his success by the sheer force of his instinct, drive, and larger-than-life personality," said former president George H.W. Bush, a longtime friend. "He had a passion for life, and throughout the ups and downs of his prolific career it was clear just how much he loved show business."[22]
"He was a force of nature," said actor and directorCarl Reiner.[5] ActorDon Cheadle wrote, "Jerry was to me equal parts Godfather, rainmaker, caretaker, PT Barnum and friend."[32]George Clooney, star of theOcean's movies, said that "in the coming days there will be tributes about our friend Jerry Weintraub. We'll laugh at his great stories, and applaud his accomplishments. And in the years to come, the stories and accomplishments will get better with age, just as Jerry would have wanted it. But not today. Today our friend died."[22]
He is interred atHillside Memorial Park Cemetery inCulver City, California.[33]
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He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
| Year | Title | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Nashville | Executive producer | |
| 1977 | September 30, 1955 | ||
| Oh, God! | |||
| 1980 | Cruising | ||
| 1981 | All Night Long | ||
| 1982 | Diner | ||
| 1984 | The Karate Kid | ||
| 1986 | The Karate Kid Part II | ||
| 1987 | Happy New Year | ||
| 1988 | My Stepmother Is an Alien | Executive producer | |
| 1989 | The Karate Kid Part III | ||
| 1992 | Pure Country | ||
| 1994 | The Next Karate Kid | ||
| The Specialist | |||
| 1997 | Vegas Vacation | ||
| 1998 | The Avengers | ||
| Soldier | |||
| 2000 | The Independent | Executive producer | |
| 2001 | Ocean's Eleven | ||
| 2004 | Ocean's Twelve | ||
| 2007 | Ocean's Thirteen | ||
| Nancy Drew | |||
| 2010 | The Karate Kid | ||
| 2016 | The Legend of Tarzan | Posthumous release |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Firm | Sonny Capps |
| 1997 | Vegas Vacation | Jilly |
| 2001 | Ocean's Eleven | High Roller |
| 2002 | Full Frontal | Jerry |
| Confessions of a Dangerous Mind | Larry Goldberg | |
| 2004 | Ocean's Twelve | American Businessman |
| 2007 | Ocean's Thirteen | Denny Shields |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | The Haunting of Pearson Place | Inspired by |
| 2016 | The Legend of Tarzan | For |
| 2018 | Ocean's 8 | In loving memory of |
| Year | Title | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Sinatra – The Main Event | Executive producer | Television special |
| The John Denver Show | Executive producer | ||
| 1975 | An Evening with John Denver | Executive producer | Television special |
| Rocky Mountain Christmas | Executive producer | Television special | |
| 1976 | John Denver and Friend | Executive producer | Television special |
| Father O Father | Executive producer | Television film | |
| The Dorothy Hamill Special | Executive producer | Television special | |
| The Carpenters' Very First TV Special | Executive producer | Television special | |
| 1977 | Neil Diamond: Love at the Greek | Executive producer | Television special |
| The Starland Vocal Band Show | Executive producer | Television special | |
| Neil Diamond: I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight | Executive producer | Television special | |
| Szysznyk | Executive producer | ||
| The Carpenters at Christmas | Executive producer | Television special | |
| 1978 | John Denver in Australia | Executive producer | Television special |
| Pat Boone and Family | Executive producer | Television film | |
| Dorothy Hamill Presents Winners | Executive producer | Television special | |
| King of the Road | Executive producer | Television film | |
| The Carpenters...Space Encounters | Executive producer | Television special | |
| The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait | Executive producer | Television special | |
| 1979 | John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together | Executive producer | Television special |
| 1980 | When the Whistle Blows | Executive producer | |
| The Jimmy McNichol Special | Television special | ||
| Rocky Mountain Reunion | Executive producer | Television film | |
| The Carpenters: Music, Music, Music | Executive producer | Television special | |
| Blue Jeans | Executive producer | Television film | |
| 1981 | John Denver: Music and the Mountains | Executive producer | Television special |
| 1983 | Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and the Muppets | Executive producer | Television special |
| Diner | Executive producer | Television pilot | |
| John Denver: The Higher We Fly | Executive producer | Television film | |
| 1984 | The Cowboy and the Ballerina | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1989 | The Karate Kid | Executive producer | |
| 2005 | L'Chaim: To Life Telethon | Executive producer | Television film |
| 2013 | Behind the Candelabra | Executive producer | Television film |
| 2015 | The Brink | Executive producer | |
| 2016 | The Sherry Wolf Show | Co-producer | |
| 2014–2016 | Years of Living Dangerously | Executive producer | Documentary |
| 2016–2022 | Westworld | Executive producer |
In 1986, theNational Association of Theatre Owners named Weintraub the Producer of the Year. In 1991, he was named to the board of theKennedy Center. Weintraub was one of the first independent film producers to be honored with a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame. In 2007, a Golden Palm Star on thePalm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.[34] 2012 he was honored with the Career Achievement Award ofZurich Film Festival.[35]
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