Robert L. Lawrence | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1919-12-08)December 8, 1919 |
| Died | September 23, 2004(2004-09-23) (aged 84) |
| Occupation | Producer |
| Spouse | Marjorie Bernstein Lawrence |
| Children | Peter D. Lawrence and Steven T. Lawrence |
Robert Leonard Lawrence (December 8, 1919 – September 23, 2004) was an American television and filmproducer, and co-founder ofGrantray-Lawrence Animation, which is best known for producing the firstSpider-Man cartoon series in 1967.
Lawrence graduated fromWest Point in 1943, and served as aFirst Lieutenant and thenCaptain in theUnited States Fifth Army inWorld War II. Following theLiberation of Italy, he co-founded Foreign Film Productions with fellow soldierRod E. Geiger.[1] Together, they secureddistribution rights in the United States forRoberto Rossellini's filmRome, Open City[2] and co-produced one of his next films,Paisan.[3]
After splitting with Geiger in 1946 and resigning his commission in 1947, Lawrence took jobs withRKO Pictures andNBC News and served as vice-president in charge of Eastern operations for Jerry Fairbanks Productions.[4][5] In 1952, he founded Robert Lawrence Productions, which produced live-action and animatedTV commercials, employing the talents of animators who had previously worked forUnited Productions of America, such asTissa David,Gene Deitch, andGrim Natwick.[6][7][8]
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Robert Lawrence Productions co-produced several ofJim Henson'stelevision specials, which were filmed at Lawrence's studio inToronto, includingHey, Cinderella!,The Frog Prince,The Muppet Musicians of Bremen, andEmmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas.[9][10] The Toronto branch also produced several Canadian TV series (includingMoment of Truth and55 North Maple), the filming of the 1964 American premiere ofKarlheinz Stockhausen'sMomente, and the 1971Disney filmKing of the Grizzlies.[11]
In 1954, Lawrence co-founded Grantray-Lawrence Animation withanimators Grant Simmons andRay Patterson (whose first names added up to "Grantray"). In 1965, Lawrence decided to bring the Marvel Comics characters to TV through an animated series to be produced by Grantray-Lawrence.[12]The Marvel Super Heroes premiered in 1966 andSpider-Man in 1967. These were the first appearances of Marvel superheroes in electronic media. Grantray-Lawrence also did sub-contracted work onTop Cat,The Jetsons,The Dick Tracy Show, andThe Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo.[13] The company went bankrupt in 1968 after a protracted legal battle with their distributor,Krantz Films.
In 1963, Lawrence and Donald Rugoff co-founded Cinema V (which acquired foreign films for distribution within the US), with Lawrence serving as president.[14][15] Lawrence's other activities at this time include producing the 1965 comedyHarvey Middleman, Fireman.
In 1971, Lawrence helped his wife Marjorie open The Pillowry, the first store to make handmade pillows fromOriental rug fragments.[16] He dedicated much of his later life to service to West Point (where he co-founded theJewish Chapel), the West Point Society of New York (of which he briefly served as president), and theDirectors Guild of America.[17] During this time, he also executive produced the 1983television filmWhen Angels Fly.
From 1946 until his death, Lawrence was married to Marjorie Bernstein Lawrence. They had two sons, Peter (b. 1948) and Steven (b. 1953).