Leonard Goldberg

Leonard J. Goldberg (January 24, 1934 – December 4, 2019) was an American film and television producer.[1] He had his own production company, Panda Productions (formerly Mandy Films, and earlier Daydream Productions when he was working with Jerry Weintraub).[2] He served as head of programming for ABC, and was president of 20th Century Fox. Goldberg was also the executive producer of the CBS series Blue Bloods.

Leonard Goldberg
Born(1934-01-24)January 24, 1934
DiedDecember 4, 2019(2019-12-04) (aged 85)
Occupation(s)Film producer
Television producer
Spouse
Wendy J. Howard
(m. 1972)
Children1

Early life and education

Goldberg was born on January 24, 1934, to a Jewish family, the son of Jean (née Smith) and William Goldberg.[3] He was a graduate of New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where he received a B.S. in economics in 1955.[3]

Career

As a producer, he was responsible for producing several television films, including the Peabody Award–⁠winning Brian's Song (1971) and The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976); the latter helping to launch John Travolta's movie career. He also produced a string of hit television series while in partnership with Aaron Spelling; the best-known being Charlie's Angels, Hart to Hart, Starsky & Hutch, Fantasy Island and Family. He produced the Oscar-nominated movie WarGames (1983) as well as the comedy The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977).[4] He also partnered with producer Jerry Weintraub in the late 1970s, working on the television show When the Whistle Blows, and had development contracts with ABC and Universal Pictures.[5] In 1981, he received an agreement with MGM/UA Entertainment Co. to produce and distribute TV shows as well as feature films under the Mandy Productions (later Mandy Films) company. He subsequently left MGM in 1984 to sign with Paramount Pictures to produce films and TV shows.[6]

He also produced the Emmy Award–⁠winning television film Something About Amelia, which aired on ABC in 1984. It was one of the highest-rated television films of the year, watched by around 60–⁠70 million people.[7]

Goldberg served as president of 20th Century Fox from 1987 to 1989, during which time the studio produced such films as Broadcast News, Big, Die Hard, Wall Street and Working Girl. Under his own banner, Leonard Goldberg produced the successful motion picture features WarGames, Sleeping with the Enemy, Double Jeopardy and the Charlie's Angels films series. He also produced Unknown, starring Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones and Frank Langella, released in theaters in February 2011. After he left 20th Century Fox in 1989,[8] he moved to The Walt Disney Studios to serve as a film producer, before going back to Fox to sign a feature film production contract.[9] In the late 1990s, he worked at Universal Studios as a film producer.[10]

He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6901 Hollywood Boulevard and was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame in 2007. He was a member of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple.[11]

Goldberg served on the CBS Board of Directors from 2007 to 2018.

Personal life and death

In 1972, he married Wendy Howard.[3] He had one daughter, Amanda Erin Goldberg and two stepsons, Richard Mirisch[3] and John A. Mirisch.

Goldberg died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on December 4, 2019, as a result of injuries sustained in a fall. He was 85 years old.[12][13]

Filmography

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film

Year Film Credit Notes
1974California SplitExecutive producer
1976Baby Blue Marine
1977The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
1981All Night Long
1983WarGamesExecutive producer
1986SpaceCampExecutive producer
1991Sleeping with the Enemy
1992The Distinguished Gentleman
1993Aspen Extreme
1999Double Jeopardy
2000Charlie's Angels
2003Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
2011Unknown
2019Charlie's AngelsExecutive producerFinal film as a producer
As an actor
Year Film Role Notes
2007The Underdog's TaleHankDirect-to-video

Television

Year Title Credit Notes
1972The Daughters of Joshua CabeExecutive producerTelevision film
No Place to RunExecutive producerTelevision film
Say Goodbye, Maggie ColeTelevision film
The Bounty ManTelevision film
Home for the HolidaysExecutive producerTelevision film
Every Man Needs OneExecutive producerTelevision film
1973A Cold Night's DeathExecutive producerTelevision film
SnatchedExecutive producerTelevision film
The Great American Beauty ContestExecutive producerTelevision film
The LettersExecutive producerTelevision film
The BaitExecutive producerTelevision film
Satan's School for GirlsTelevision film
HijackTelevision film
Letters from Three LoversTelevision film
The AffairExecutive producerTelevision film
1974The Death SquadTelevision film
FirehouseExecutive producer
Chopper OneExecutive producer
The Girl Who Came Gift-WrappedTelevision film
Cry PanicTelevision film
SavagesTelevision film
Death SentenceTelevision film
Hit LadyTelevision film
Death CruiseTelevision film
Only with Married MenExecutive producerTelevision film
The Fireman's BallExecutive producerTelevision film
1975The Daughters of Joshua Cabe ReturnExecutive producerTelevision film
The Fireman's BallExecutive producerTelevision pilot
Murder on Flight 502Executive producerTelevision film
The Legend of ValentinoTelevision film
1976One of My Wives Is MissingExecutive producerTelevision film
The New Daughters of Joshua CabeExecutive producerTelevision film
Death at Love HouseExecutive producerTelevision film
33 Hours in the Life of GodTelevision film
The Sad and Lonely SundaysExecutive producerTelevision film
The Boy in the Plastic BubbleExecutive producerTelevision film
1972−76The RookiesExecutive producer
1975−76S.W.A.T.Executive producer
1977Little Ladies of the NightExecutive producerTelevision film
Delta County, U.S.A.Executive producerTelevision film
1979Beach PatrolExecutive producerTelevision film
1975−79Starsky & HutchExecutive producer
1980When the Whistle BlowsExecutive producer
Blue JeansExecutive producerTelevision film
1976−80FamilyExecutive producer
1981This House PossessedExecutive producerTelevision film
1976−81Charlie's AngelsExecutive producer
1982FantasiesExecutive producerTelevision film
Paper DollsExecutive producerTelevision film
1983Deadly LessonsExecutive producerTelevision film
1982−83GavilanExecutive producer
1984Something About AmeliaExecutive producerTelevision film
Sins of the PastExecutive producerTelevision film
Paper DollsExecutive producer
1977−84Fantasy IslandExecutive producer
1979−84Hart to HartExecutive producer
1985Royal MatchExecutive producerTelevision film
Beverly Hills Cowgirl BluesTelevision film
1986Alex: The Life of a ChildExecutive producerTelevision film
1982−86T. J. HookerExecutive producer
1987HomeExecutive producerTelevision film
1988The CavanaughsExecutive producer
1993Class of '96Executive producer
1999Love LettersExecutive producerTelevision film
2000Runaway VirusExecutive producerTelevision film
2002Critical AssemblyExecutive producerTelevision film
2009LimelightExecutive producerTelevision film
2011Charlie's AngelsExecutive producer
2018Untitled Paul Attanasio ProjectExecutive producerTelevision pilot
2010−20Blue BloodsExecutive producer
Thanks
Year Title Role
2019Blue BloodsIn loving memory of our founder and mentor

References

  1. "Leonard Goldberg". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2013. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013.
  2. "Leonard Goldberg". CBS Corporation.
  3. "Goldberg, Leonard 1934-". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
  4. Canby, Vincent (August 20, 1977). "The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977) 'Bad News Bears' Make Comeback in an Effort to Go on to Japan". The New York Times.
  5. "Program Briefs" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 21, 1978. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  6. "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 23, 1984. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  7. (18 January 1984). "'Something About Amelia,' the made-for-TV movie about incest, carried...", UPI
  8. "Goldberg Leaves Fox After a Two-Year String of Hits". Los Angeles Times. April 22, 1989. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  9. "Leonard Goldberg to Set Up Shop at Fox : Hollywood: The move signals an aggressive effort by the studio brass to firm up relationships with more filmmakers". Los Angeles Times. May 28, 1993. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  10. Busch, Anita M. (March 14, 1997). "Hughes takes U VP turn". Variety. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  11. Hollywood Reporter: "Hollywood's Hottest $150 Million Project Is an 83-Year-Old Synagogue—Studio heads, agency chieftains and top producers have come together, 'Avengers'-style, to save their iconic but decaying Wilshire Boulevard Temple—an A-list house of worship far from the Westside" by Gary Baum, May 30, 2012
  12. Leonard Goldberg, Former 20th Century Fox President and ABC Head of Programming, Dies at 85
  13. Leonard Goldberg, Producer of 'Charlie's Angels' and 'Blue Bloods,' Dies at 85
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