David Brown (producer)

David Brown (July 28, 1916 February 1, 2010) was an American film and theatre producer and writer who was best known for producing the 1975 film ''Jaws'' based on the best-selling novel by Peter Benchley.

Early life

He was born in New York City, the son of Lillian (''née'' Baren) and Col. Edward Fisher Brown, and was the elder brother of Carolyn Brown, who married French aristocrat Emmanuel de Crussol d'Uzès, Duke of Uzès, then who remarried to Geoffrey Carpenter Doyle, a grandson of New York City architect James Edwin Ruthven Carpenter Jr.

Brown was a graduate of Stanford University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Early career

He began his professional career as a journalist, contributing to magazines including ''The Saturday Evening Post'', '' Harper's'' and ''Collier's'', before becoming an editor himself. He was a managing editor of ''Cosmopolitan'' before his wife, Helen Gurley Brown, joined the magazine.

Production career

Film

In 1951, the producer Darryl F. Zanuck hired Brown to head the story department at Zanuck's studio, 20th Century-Fox. Brown eventually rose to become executive vice president of creative operations. He and Richard D. Zanuck, Darryl's son, left Fox in 1971 for Warner Bros., but the following year they set out to form their own production company.

The caper film ''The Sting'' (1973) starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford was a Zanuck/Brown "presentation". In 1974, the company produced, along with Universal Pictures, ''The Sugarland Express'', Steven Spielberg's directorial debut, for a motion picture. Thereafter, the pair were credited as producers or executive producers of more than a dozen films, including the courtroom drama ''The Verdict'' (1982), directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Paul Newman; the science-fiction '' Cocoon'' (1985), directed by Ron Howard; and the comedy drama ''Driving Miss Daisy'' (1989), directed by Bruce Beresford and starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman. ''Driving Miss Daisy'' won four Academy Awards, including the Best Picture award.

Without Zanuck, Brown went on to produce films including the drama ''Angela's Ashes'' (1999) and the romance '' Chocolat'' (2000).

He and partner Zanuck were jointly awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1990 for their achievements in producing films including the horror thriller ''Jaws'' (1975), directed by Steven Spielberg.

Theater

Brown produced various Broadway musicals, including '' Sweet Smell of Success: The Musical'' (2002), '' Dirty Rotten Scoundrels'' (2005), and the off-Broadway Jerry Herman musical revue ''Showtune'' (2003).

He bought the film and stage rights to the drama play ''A Few Good Men'', written by playwright Aaron Sorkin. The play opened November 1989 and ran for 500 performances. The film of the same name (1992) stars Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson.

Personal life

From 1959, for fifty-one years, until his death, Brown was the husband of Helen Gurley Brown, editor of ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine for 32 years, and author of ''Sex and the Single Girl''.

Brown had one son, Bruce, from a prior marriage, who predeceased him, and a half brother, Edward Fisher Brown Jr.

He was known equally for his mannerliness, fine wardrobe, distinctive mustache and for championing writers. He had strong connections with publishers and agents.

Brown wrote ''Brown's Guide to the Good Life: Tears, Fears and Boredom'' (2005), which gives advice on life. He also wrote ''Let Me Entertain You'' (1990), an anecdotal autobiography.

Death

He died, age 93, at his home in Manhattan from kidney failure on February 1, 2010. His widow, Helen, died on August 13, 2012, age 90. Mr. and Mrs. Brown were laid to rest in late November 2012 in adjacent graves at Sisco Cemetery in Arkansas. Helen's maternal family cemetery is located just south of the village of Osage in Carroll County, Arkansas.

Filmography

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film

Television

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References

Universal Pictures Press Release (June 21, 1973), Box 23, David Brown papers, Collection #5574, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

External links

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David Brown papers
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American Heritage Center

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, David
1916 births
2010 deaths
20th-century American non-fiction writers
21st-century American non-fiction writers
Recipients of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award
American autobiographers
American magazine editors
Film producers from New York (state)
American theatre managers and producers
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni
Deaths from kidney failure
Journalists from New York City
Writers from Manhattan
Stanford University alumni
Columbia University alumni