Lawrence Gordon
Born (1936-03-25) March 25, 1936
Occupation(s)Producer, executive
Years active1964–present
Children3

Lawrence Gordon (born March 25, 1936) is an American producer and motion picture executive.[1] He specializes in producing action-oriented films and other genres. Some of his most popular productions include 48 Hours (1982), Predator (1987), Die Hard (1988), Die Hard 2 (1990), Predator 2 (1990), Point Break (1991), Boogie Nights (1997), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), and Prey (2022).

Life and career

Gordon was raised in a Jewish family[2] in Belzoni, Mississippi. He graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans. After moving to Los Angeles he began his producing career in 1964 working for Aaron Spelling and became writer and associate producer on the TV series Burke's Law. He quickly moved up the ranks and worked as an executive producer at ABC and at Screen Gems.[3]

In early 1968 Gordon joined American International Pictures. In August 1969 he was named vice president for motion picture and film development. He resigned in February 1970 to form his own company. In 1971 Gordon went to Screen Gems and he returned to AIP in January 1972 as head of production. Among the films released under his auspices were Slaughter and Boxcar Bertha.

He received credit as executive producer on John Milius's Dillinger (1973).[3]

Gordon left as worldwide production head in early 1974 to form his own company and did a deal with Columbia Pictures. Its first film was Hard Times (1975).[4][3] In 1978 he had two high-grossing films with Hooper and The End, both starring Burt Reynolds.[3]

Gordon and Walter Hill were going to make The Last Gun. Financing fell through so they made The Warriors instead.[5]

In the early 1980s, he created the TV series Matt Houston.

Gordon worked on multiple films in the 1970s and 1980s with fellow producer Joel Silver, most notably Streets of Fire and 48 Hrs.[6]

Gordon was President of 20th Century Fox from 1984 to 1986.[7] He was planning to reactive Lawrence Gordon Productions on the Fox lot in order to receive a two-year independent production deal with the studio.[8]

In 1989, he produced Field of Dreams which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. He subsequently formed Largo Entertainment which was backed by the Japanese company JVC.[9]

Gordon also had an independent production deal with Universal Pictures under the name Lawrence Gordon Productions. Under Lawrence Gordon Productions, he produced Jumpin' Jack Flash, Boogie Nights, Mystery Men, K-9, the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider franchise, and Watchmen.

For three years, from 1986 until its founding of Largo in 1989, Lawrence Gordon Productions was based at 20th Century Fox, sometimes heading under the name Gordon Company.[10]

Selected filmography

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Films made while head of production at AIP

  • Coffy
  • Slaughter
  • Boxcar Bertha
  • Dr Phibes Rides Again
  • Blacula
  • The Thing with Two Heads
  • Slaughter 2
  • Dillinger
  • Sugar Hill
  • Little Cigars
  • Madhouse
  • Heavy Traffic
  • Black Caesar
  • The Sisters
  • Cannibal Girls
  • The Land that Time Forgot (initial deal done)
  • Fritz the Cat
  • Macon County Line
  • The Black Windmill
  • Golden Needles
  • Truck Turner
  • Black Mama White Mama
  • Scream Blacula Scream
  • Foxy Brown

Film

Year Film Credit Notes
1973DillingerExecutive producer
1975Hard Times
1977Rolling ThunderExecutive producer
1978The End
The Driver
HooperExecutive producer
1979The Warriors
1980Xanadu
1981Paternity
1982Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again
48 Hrs.
1984Streets of Fire
1985Brewster's Millions
1986Jumpin' Jack Flash
1987Predator
1988The Couch Trip
The Wrong GuysExecutive producer
Die Hard
1989LeviathanExecutive producer
Field of Dreams
K-9
Lock Up
Family Business
1990Another 48 Hrs.
Die Hard 2
Predator 2
1991The Rocketeer
1995Waterworld
1997The Devil's Own
Event Horizon
Boogie NightsExecutive producer
1999Mystery Men
K-911Executive producerDirect-to-video
Thieves
2001Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
K-PAX
2002K-9: P.I.Executive producerDirect-to-video
2003Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life
2004Hellboy
2008Hellboy II: The Golden Army
2009Watchmen
2019Hellboy
2022PreyExecutive producer
Miscellaneous crew
Year Film Role
1991Point BreakPresident: Largo Entertainment
1992Back in the USSR
Unlawful Entry
Dr. Giggles
Used PeoplePresident: Largo Entertainment
Presenter
1994TimecopPresident: Largo Entertainment
1995WaterworldPresenter
1997The Devil's Own
Event Horizon
1999Mystery Men
Thanks
Year Film Role
2020Da 5 BloodsSpecial thanks

Television

Year Title Credit Notes
1975The Missing Are DeadlyExecutive producerTelevision film
Home Cookin'Executive producerTelevision film
1977Dog and CatExecutive producer
Executive producerTelevision film
1978Lacy and the Mississippi QueenExecutive producerTelevision film
1980Stunts UnlimitedExecutive producerTelevision film
1982The RenegadesExecutive producerTelevision film
1983Executive producer
Just Our LuckExecutive producer
Lone StarExecutive producerTelevision film
1984The StreetsExecutive producerTelevision film
1982−84Matt HoustonExecutive producer
1985Our Family HonorExecutive producer
1997TimecopExecutive producer
2006Hellboy: Sword of StormsExecutive producerTelevision film
2007Hellboy: Blood and IronExecutive producerTelevision film
2019WatchmenConsulting producer
TBAThe Warriors
As writer
Year Title Notes
1982The RenegadesTelevision film
1983
1982−84Matt Houston

References

  1. "Battle Over 'Watchmen' Surrounds a Producer (Published 2008)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07.
  2. Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life: "Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities – Belzoni, Mississippi" retrieved October 25, 2017
  3. 1 2 3 4 Klain, Stephen (September 6, 1978). "Gordon, Ex AIP Prod. Head, Gets Payoff From Indie Flexibility". Variety. p. 26.
  4. Taylor, Clarke (Oct 8, 1978). "Larry Gordon Rolls His Dice". Los Angeles Times. p. n35.
  5. Vagg, Stephen (14 July 2020). ""John Wick with spurs" – A look at Walter Hill's Unmade The Last Gun". Diabolique.
  6. Barnes, Brooks; Cieply, Michael (2010-08-28). "Hey, Big Spender: Hollywood Isn't in the Mood". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  7. Hal Erickson (2014). "New York Times Biography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
  8. Galbraith, Jane (1986-01-15). "Gordon Ankles As Prez Of Fox; Cites Poor Health, Denies Discord". Variety. p. 3.
  9. Weinraub, Bernard (13 January 1994). "COMPANY NEWS; Chief Quits Film Venture Financed by Japanese". The New York Times.
  10. "BUSINESS PEOPLE; President Leaves Fox's Film Unit". The New York Times. 1986-08-19. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.