Lawrence Gordon (producer)

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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 Predator (1987), Die Hard (1988), Die Hard 2 (1990), Predator 2 (1990), Point Break (1991), Boogie Nights (1997), and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001).

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 the 1970s he was a key executive at American International Pictures and received credit as executive producer on John Milius's Dillinger (1973).^[3] He left as worldwide production head in 1973 to produce his first solo production, Hard Times (1975) for Columbia Pictures.^[4][3] In 1978 he had two high-grossing films with Hooper and The End, both starring Burt Reynolds.^[3]

He 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 was President of 20th Century Fox from 1984 to 1986.^[6]

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.^[7]

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

Selected filmography[]

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film[]

Miscellaneous crew

Thanks

Television[]

As writer

References[]

External links[]

• Lawrence Gordon at IMDb