Jerry Weintraub obit

Longtime Hollywood producer Jerry Weintraub dies at 77

 

He was not on the list.

Jerry Weintraub, the dynamic producer and manager who pushed the career of John Denver and produced such hit movies as "Nashville" and "Ocean's Eleven," has died. He was 77.

Representatives for Weintraub said he died Monday of cardiac arrest in Santa Barbara, California.

Weintraub rose from talent agency mail room employee to top concert promoter — working with the likes of Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra — and shaping Denver's career before tackling the movie business starting in the 1970s.

His attempt to found his own studio, Weintraub Entertainment Group, ended in bankruptcy. But his success as an independent producer spanned decades, from "Karate Kid" to 2013's Emmy-winning Liberace drama "Behind the Candelabra," a film he took to HBO after all the studios passed.

"Jerry was an American original, who earned his success by the sheer force of his instinct, drive, and larger-than-life personality," said 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."

"In the coming days there will be tributes, about our friend Jerry Weintraub," said George Clooney, a star of the "Ocean's" movies. "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."

A Brooklyn-born telephone-wielding impresario, Weintraub fashioned himself in the mold of Mike Todd, Cecil B. DeMille and P.T. Barnum. He titled his 2011 memoir, "When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead." At the time, he joked he might write another: "Dead, But Still Talking."

"If asked my philosophy, it would be simply this: Savor life, don't press too hard, don't worry too much. Or as the old-timers say, 'Enjoy,'" he wrote. "But ... I never could live by this philosophy and was, in fact, out working, hustling, trading, scheming, and making a buck as soon as I was old enough to leave my parents' house."

Weintraub left numerous projects behind. He's the executive producer of the recently debuted HBO series "The Brink" and a producer on an upcoming remake of "Tarzan."

 

 

Film

 

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

As an actor

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

Thanks

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

Television

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

2016-2018            Westworld            Executive producer