Brian Grazer
Brian Thomas Grazer (born July 12, 1951) is an American film / television producer and, occasionally, a screenwriter. He co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986, with Ron Howard. The films they produced have grossed over $13 billion.[2] The movies include four for which Grazer was personally nominated for an Academy Award: Splash (1984), Apollo 13 (1995), A Beautiful Mind (2001), and Frost/Nixon (2008).[3][4] His films and TV series have been nominated for 43 Academy Awards and 187 Emmys.
Brian Grazer | |
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 Grazer in 2011 | |
| Born | Brian Thomas Grazer July 12, 1951 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Occupation | Producer, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Jack Dylan Grazer (nephew) Gavin Grazer (brother) |
| Awards |
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In 2002, Grazer won an Oscar for Best Picture for A Beautiful Mind (shared with Ron Howard). In 2007, he was named one of Time's "100 Most Influential People in the World".[1]
Early life
Grazer was born in Los Angeles, California, to Arlene Becker Grazer and criminal defense attorney Thomas Grazer.[5][6] He is the older brother of Nora Beth Grazer (born 1952) and actor/director Gavin Grazer (born 1961).[7] He was raised in Sherman Oaks and Northridge, in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley.[6]
Grazer's father was Catholic and his mother is Jewish,[5][8] His parents divorced when he was in high school.[9] Grazer said "My best buddy, the most important person in my growing up, was my little 4-foot-10 [147 cm] Jewish grandmother, and she'd say, 'In order to get it, you got to do it. No one's going to get it for you, Brian.'"[5]
Suffering from dyslexia, Grazer got through school by reading other students' papers and arguing his grades with his teachers.[10]
His nephew is actor Jack Dylan Grazer.[11][12]
Education
Grazer won a scholarship to the University of Southern California (USC) as a psychology major. He graduated from USC's School of Cinema-Television in 1974.[6][13] He then attended USC Law School for one year, but quit in 1975 to pursue a life in Hollywood.[5][6][9][14]
Career
Grazer began his career as a producer developing television projects. While executive-producing TV pilots at Paramount Pictures in the early 1980s, he met current long-time friend and business partner Ron Howard.[1]
He produced his first feature-film, Night Shift, in 1982, directed by Howard.[1] Grazer and Howard teamed up again for Splash in 1984, which Grazer produced and co-wrote. Splash earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay of 1984.[1]
In November 1985, Grazer and Howard co-founded Imagine Entertainment, which became one of Hollywood's most prolific and successful production companies. Over the years, Grazer's films and TV shows have been nominated for a total of 43 Academy Awards, and 195 Emmys. At the same time, his movies have generated more than $13.5 billion in worldwide theatrical, music, and video grosses.[1]
Grazer's early film successes include Parenthood (1989) and Backdraft (1991).[1] He produced Apollo 13 (1995), for which he won the Producers Guild of America's Daryl F. Zanuck Motion Picture Producer of the Year Award, as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Picture of 1995.[1]
In 1998, he earned two major honors: he was given his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and made a cameo appearance on the animated series The Simpsons.[15]
In 2001, Grazer won an Academy Award for Best Picture for A Beautiful Mind, which also took home Oscars for Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Connelly), Best Director (Ron Howard), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Akiva Goldsman).
In 2002, Grazer's 8 Mile was released.[1] It proved not only to be a huge box office hit, but also the first film with a rap song to win a Best Original Song Oscar, for Eminem's "Lose Yourself".[16]
Grazer also produced the film adaptation of Peter Morgan's play Frost/Nixon (2008). Frost/Nixon was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.[1]
Grazer's productions span over a quarter-of-a-century, and almost the full spectrum of movie genres. His comedies include Boomerang (1992), The Nutty Professor (1996), Liar Liar (1997), Life (1999), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Intolerable Cruelty (2003) and The Dilemma (2011). He has also produced many dramatic thrillers including Inside Man (2006), The Da Vinci Code (2006), American Gangster (2007), Changeling (2008), Angels & Demons (2009), Robin Hood (2010), and Cowboys & Aliens (2011). His recently released films include J. Edgar, the Clint Eastwood-directed biopic of J. Edgar Hoover, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tower Heist, starring Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy, and Restless, directed by Gus Van Sant.
Grazer's Imagine Entertainment's television series include Sports Night, Felicity, Arrested Development, 24 with Kiefer Sutherland, Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, Lie to Me, and Empire.[1]
Grazer's recent productions included the 2017 Grammy awarding winning Best Music Film The Beatles: Eight Days a Week (2016), American Made (2017), Rush (2013), directed by Ron Howard, and starring Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl,[17] and Made in America.
Grazer produced Get on Up, a biopic of the legendary "Godfather of Soul" James Brown, and In the Heart of the Sea, directed by Ron Howard and starring Chris Hemsworth, about the American whaleship the Essex.[18]
In 2015, Grazer published his book A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life, in which he discusses conversations with interesting people, many of whom inspired his work.[19]
Personal life
Grazer has been married four times and divorced three times: to Theresa McKay (1972–79), Corki Corman (1982–92; they had two children; son Riley (born 1986) and daughter Sage (1988)), and novelist and screenwriter Gigi Levangie (1997–2007; they had two sons; Thomas (1999) and Patrick (2004)).[6][15] In April 2014, Grazer became engaged to Veronica Smiley, chief marketing officer of SBE, a hotel management company.[20][21] They married on February 20, 2016.[22]
Grazer currently resides in Santa Monica, California.[23] He also has a home in Hawaii on Sunset Beach, on the Banzai Pipeline on O'ahu's North Shore.[24][25]
Filmography
All films, he was producer unless otherwise noted.
Film
- As writer
| Year | Film | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Splash | Story with Bruce Jay Friedman |
| 1986 | Armed and Dangerous | Story with Harold Ramis and James Keach |
| 1992 | Housesitter | Story with Mark Stein |
- Music department
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Apollo 13 | Executive music producer |
- Thanks
| Year | Film | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | The Haunting of Pearson Place | Inspired by |
Television
| Year | Title | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Zuma Beach | Television film | |
| Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery | Television film | ||
| 1985−86 | Shadow Chasers | Executive producer | |
| 1987−88 | Ohara | Executive producer | |
| 1988 | Poison | ||
| Smart Guys | Executive producer | ||
| Poison | Executive producer | Television film | |
| Mutts | Executive producer | Television film | |
| 1997 | Hiller and Diller | Executive producer | |
| 1998 | From the Earth to the Moon | ||
| 1999 | Student Affairs | Television film | |
| Mulholland Dr. | Executive producer | Television pilot | |
| 2000 | Thirty | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1998−2000 | Sports Night | Executive producer | |
| 2000 | Wonderland | Executive producer | |
| Rat Bastard | Executive producer | Television film | |
| 1999−2001 | The PJs | Executive producer | |
| 2001 | The Beast | Executive producer | |
| Silicon Follies | Executive producer | Television film | |
| 1998−2002 | Felicity | Executive producer | |
| 2002 | B.S. | Executive producer | Television film |
| 2003 | The Snobs | Executive producer | Television film |
| The Break | Executive producer | Television film | |
| Miss Match | Executive producer | ||
| 2004 | The Big House | Executive producer | |
| 2005 | The WIN Awards | Television special | |
| Queen B | Executive producer | Television film | |
| Fertile Ground | Executive producer | Television film | |
| 2005−06 | The Inside | Executive producer | |
| 2006 | Treasure Hunters | Co-producer | |
| Misconceptions | |||
| Beyond | Executive producer | Television pilot | |
| 2007 | 24: Day Six - Debrief | Executive producer | |
| Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office | Executive producer | Television film | |
| 2006−08 | Shark | Executive producer | |
| 2007 | Entourage | ||
| 2008 | 24: Redemption | Executive producer | Television film |
| 2009 | Maggie Hill | Executive producer | Television film |
| 2001−10 | 24 | Executive producer | |
| 2009−11 | Lie to Me | Executive producer | |
| 2006−11 | Friday Night Lights | Executive producer | |
| 2011 | Friends with Benefits | Executive producer | |
| The Playboy Club | Executive producer | ||
| 2012 | 84th Academy Awards | Co-producer | Television special |
| 2010−12 | Parenthood | Executive producer | |
| 2012 | The Great Escape | Executive producer | |
| Susan 313 | Executive producer | Television film | |
| 2013 | How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) | Executive producer | |
| 2014 | Those Who Kill | Executive producer | |
| Gang Related | Executive producer | ||
| 24: Live Another Day | Executive producer | ||
| 2006−present | Curious George | Executive producer | |
| 2015 | The Bastard Executioner | Executive producer | |
| WTF America | Executive producer | Television film | |
| Problem Child | Executive producer | Television pilot | |
| Nerd Herd | Executive producer | Television film | |
| The Clan of the Cave Bear | Executive producer | Television pilot | |
| 2016 | Chance | Executive producer | |
| 2016−17 | 24: Legacy | Executive producer | |
| 2015−17 | Breakthrough | Executive producer | |
| 2017 | Shots Fired | Executive producer | |
| 2017−18 | Genius | Executive producer | |
| 2016−18 | Mars | Executive producer | |
| 2003−19 | Arrested Development | Executive producer | |
| 2015−19 | Empire | Executive producer | |
| 2019 | Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10 | Executive producer | Television short |
| Why Women Kill | Executive producer | ||
| Wu-Tang: An American Saga | Executive producer | ||
| 2020 | 68 Whiskey | Executive producer | |
| Filthy Rich | Executive producer |
- As an actor
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The Simpsons | Himself | Voice role |
| 2007 | Entourage | ||
| 2013 | Arrested Development | ||
| 2017 | This Is Us |
- As writer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Shadow Chasers | Co-created with Kenneth Johnson Story with Johnson for episode "Pilot" |
- Thanks
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Clint Howard Variety Show | Special thanks |
Additional awards
- 1998 – Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries for From the Earth to the Moon
- 2001 – Producers Guild of America's David O. Selznick Lifetime Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures[1]
- 2003 – ShoWest Lifetime Achievement Award[1]
- 2004 – Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series for Arrested Development
- 2006 – Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series for 24
- 2007 – Named one of Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World"[1]
- 2008 – Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program for Curious George
- 2009 – Producers Guild of America Milestone Award, together with Ron Howard[1]
- 2009 – New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Big Apple Award, together with Ron Howard[1]
- 2010 – Simon Wiesenthal Center Humanitarian Award, together with Ron Howard[1]
- 2010 – Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program for Curious George
- 2011 – MPSE 2011 Filmmaker Award[1]
References
- Imagine Entertainment Brian Grazer Biography Archived December 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
- Orzeck, Kurt (January 10, 2012). "Universal Extends Imagine Deal Through 2016 – But Now It's First Look". Reuters. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- Mike Fleming Jr., "Q&A: Brian Grazer and Ron Howard on 25 Years Together as Imagine Partners" deadline.com June 21, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
- "J. Edgar film and production crew". Telegraph. London. January 6, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
- Michaelson, Judith (February 16, 1992). "MOVIES: Imagine That: Riddle: How can a person be in the spotlight and still be in the shadows? Answer: Check out producer Brian Grazer's career". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- "Brian Grazer Biography". Yahoo. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- "Slipstream and the Other Grazer Brother". Portfolio.com. October 26, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- Hammer, Joshua (December 24, 2000). "Periscope". Newsweek. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- "Huyền thoại Hollywood và cuộc tình với "cô dâu Việt" – XãLuận.com Tin Nóng" (in Vietnamese). Xaluan.com. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- Wallace, Jane. "Success Stories; Brian Grazer, Academy Award-Winning Producer". The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. Yale University. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- "What's new on traditional TV".
- "Jack Dylan Grazer Talks 'Shazam'". ET Canada. March 15, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- "Brian Grazer: 5 Things to Know About Brett Ratner's Oscar Replacement". The Hollywood Reporter. November 10, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
- Staff, Movieline (July 1, 1992). "Brian Grazer: The Life of Brian". Movieline. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- Encyclopedia of World Biography Brian Grazer. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
- "Brian Grazer | Biography, Photos, Movies, TV, Credits". Hollywood.com. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
- "Rush (2013)".
- .
- "A Curious Mind". Goodreads.
- "Producer Brian Grazer engaged, but almost lost the ring". The New York Post. April 29, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
- "Brian Grazer Engaged to SBE Exec Veronica Smiley". The Hollywood Reporter. April 30, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
- "Brian Grazer Marries Marketing Exec Veronica Smiley at Star-Studded Wedding".
- "Holiday Surprise: Hollywood is at Work," The New York Times, December 28, 2011
- Anthony Rotunno & Dana Mathews. "Brian Grazer's Tips on Hawaii's Banzai Pipeline on Oahu". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- "Surfing Oahu's North Shore". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
External links
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