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Studio chief, producer Ned Tanen dies at 77

(Agencies)
2009-01-06 13:59

LOS ANGELES – Ned Tanen, the former president of Universal Pictures who championed such filmmakers as George Lucas and John Hughes, died Monday of natural causes at his home in Santa Monica. He was 77.

Tanen ran Universal from 1976 to 1982. He presided over two record box office years: 1980 and 1982, which included "On Golden Pond," "Coal Miner's Daughter," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial."

He resigned from Universal in December 1982 amid the success of "E.T." Citing "burnout," he told the Wall Street Journal he was tired of playing the "Hollywood game."

But Tanen couldn't leave the film business that easily. He took on producing roles in three "Brat Pack" films: Hughes' "The Breakfast Club" and "Sixteen Candles," and Joel Schumacher's "St. Elmo's Fire."

He resisted the hot '80s trend of "high-concept films," telling the New York Times in 1984 that he "preferred a real concept and a script that would make people leave a theater -- hopefully after a movie and not during it -- feeling satisfied."

Tanen began a four-year stint as president of Paramount that year, continuing his box office successes. The studio finished No. 1 in 1986 and 1987, and Tanen's slates included such hits as "Top Gun" and "Ghost." After retiring from the executive suites for a second time, he produced such films as "Guarding Tess," "Cops and Robbersons" and "Mary Reilly."

Born in Los Angeles on September 20, 1931, Tanen started out as a talent agent at MCA and then took on executive roles at MCA's music division where he worked with such entertainers as Neil Diamond, Elton John, Bill Cosby and Olivia Newton-John.

In 1971, Tanen acted as production supervisor on Milos Forman's "Taking Off," which led to his move to MCA's Universal Pictures arm.

"I didn't really want to get into the film business, but that's where they put me," he said.

During Tanen's early years at Universal, the studio was known for B-movies but awoke to the potential of the so-called youth audience, which became Tanen's specialty. He greenlighted such hits as "Jesus Christ, Superstar" and Lucas' "American Graffiti." Propelled by the great successes of "Jaws" and "Animal House," he was elevated to higher posts, becoming president of Universal's motion picture division.

"Ned was an inspiration to a whole generation of us who inspired to be like him," Sherry Lansing, the former CEO of Paramount Pictures, said. "He was one of the best studio heads there ever was. He taught me about integrity, that it was never about the flavor of the month, that it was always about the talent. And he had a wicked sense of humor."

Tanen is survived by his partner, Donna Dubrow; two daughters and three grandchildren.