Gordon T. Stulberg (17 December 1923 – 12 October 2000) was a Canadian-American film executive and lawyer, best known for a long stint as president and chief operating officer of
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
and
Cinema Center Films
Cinema Center Films (CCF) was the theatrical film production company of the CBS Television Network from 1967 to 1972. Its films were distributed by National General Pictures. The production unit was located at CBS Studio Center in the Studio City ...
and
PolyGram Pictures
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (formerly known as PolyGram Films and PolyGram Pictures or simply PFE) was a British film studio founded in 1979 which became a European competitor to Hollywood, but was eventually sold to Seagram Company Ltd. in 19 ...
.
[Gordon Stulberg obituary]
at Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
Early life and education
Stulberg was born to a
Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
family
in Toronto, the son of a labor organizer.
He graduated with a B.A. from the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 ...
and a J.D. from
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...
before moving to Los Angeles.
He became a naturalized citizen of the US in 1951.
Career
After school, he worked in entertainment law with the firm Pacht, Ross, Warne & Bernhard and represented among others the
Writers Guild of America
The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers:
* The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), headquartered in New York City and affiliated with the AFL–CIO
* The Writers Gu ...
.
In the 1954 writers strike he served as chief counsel and negotiator for the guild helping to establish the concept of "separation of rights and residuals" which ensured that all writers would receive payment for their work regardless of the format in which it was used, be it in plays, radio, television, film, or simply for sales promotion.
In 1956, Stulberg joined
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
as an executive assistant to
Ben Kahane, second in charge to
Harry Cohn,
and worked his way up through the company, becoming in 1960, vice president and chief studio administrative officer.
Studio Head
In 1967, Stulberg was hired by CBS president
William S. Paley
William Samuel Paley (September 28, 1901 – October 26, 1990) was an American businessman, primarily involved in the media, and best known as the chief executive who built the Columbia Broadcasting System ( CBS) from a small radio network into ...
to run CBS' new motion picture division, called
Cinema Center Films
Cinema Center Films (CCF) was the theatrical film production company of the CBS Television Network from 1967 to 1972. Its films were distributed by National General Pictures. The production unit was located at CBS Studio Center in the Studio City ...
where he oversaw 26 films including ''
Little Big Man
Little Big Man ( Lakota: Wičháša Tȟáŋkala), or Charging Bear, was an Oglala Lakota, or Oglala Sioux, who was a fearless and respected warrior who fought under, and was distant cousin to, Crazy Horse ("His-Horse-Is-Crazy"). He opposed the 186 ...
'' (1970) and ''
The Boys in the Band'' (1971).
In 1971, he was approached by
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
to be president and chief operating officer when Fox's future was threatened by banks intending to call in their loans, which they offered to extend only if Stulberg were hired. He worked with chairman and CEO
Dennis Stanhill
Dennis or Denis is a first or last name from the Greco-Roman name Dionysius, via one of the Christian saints named Dionysius.
The name came from Dionysus, the Greek god of ecstatic states, particularly those produced by wine, which is someti ...
. Stulberg worked to turn around the studio's financial performance. He had some notable successes and some failures as well but over all opinion on Stulberg's tenure was quite positive in light of his salvaging and reallocating misused funds, revamping the studio's sagging image, and his foresight in making such films as the epic classic ''
Star Wars'' (1977) and cult favorites like ''
Rocky Horror Picture Show
''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also a ...
'' (1975), ''
Young Frankenstein
''Young Frankenstein'' is a 1974 American comedy horror film directed by Mel Brooks. The screenplay was co-written by Brooks and Gene Wilder. Wilder also starred in the lead role as the title character, a descendant of the infamous Dr. Victor ...
'' (1974) and ''
Sounder'' (1972). In 1974 Stulberg left Fox after differences with Stanhill and returned to practicing law at the entertainment law firm of Mitchell, Silberberg and Knupp for five years.
He returned to the film business in 1980 and became president of
PolyGram Pictures
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (formerly known as PolyGram Films and PolyGram Pictures or simply PFE) was a British film studio founded in 1979 which became a European competitor to Hollywood, but was eventually sold to Seagram Company Ltd. in 19 ...
making ''
Endless Love'' (1981) and ''
An American Werewolf in London'' (1981).
He later became head of American Interative Media, chairman of the board of
Philips Interactive Media
The Compact Disc-Interactive (CD-I, later CD-i) is a digital optical disc data storage format that was mostly developed and marketed by Dutch company Philips. It was created as an extension of CDDA and CD-ROM and specified in the '' Green B ...
of America and a director of
Trimark Pictures
Trimark Pictures was an American production company that specialized in the production and distribution of television and home video motion pictures. The company was formed in 1984 by Mark Amin as Vidmark Entertainment with Vidmark Inc. (later T ...
.
Personal life
Stulberg was married to Helen (née Applebaum) Stulberg (1925–2010). They had four children: Jac Stulberg (from Helen's first marriage), Sita Stulberg, Scott Stulberg and Lysienne "Lysa" Stulberg.
Los Angeles Times: "Helen Stulberg Obituary"
February 18, 2010 Stulberg died from complications related to diabetes
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...
.
Selected filmography
Films made under Stulberg at Cinema Center Films
*''With Six You Get Eggroll
''With Six You Get Eggroll'' is a 1968 American romantic comedy film directed by Howard Morris and starring Doris Day, Brian Keith, Barbara Hershey, George Carlin, and Pat Carroll. It was the first film that was produced by the CBS Television Ne ...
'' (1968)
*''A Fine Pair
''A Fine Pair'' (original title ''Ruba al prossimo tuo'') is a 1968 Italian crime-comedy film directed by Francesco Maselli. It stars Rock Hudson and Claudia Cardinale, who had co-starred together two years earlier in the romantic drama, ''Blindfo ...
'' (1968)
*''The April Fools
''The April Fools'' is a 1969 American romantic comedy film directed by Stuart Rosenberg and starring Jack Lemmon and Catherine Deneuve.
Plot
Wall Street broker Howard Brubaker is married to Phyllis, who does not love him. Catherine is the stunn ...
'' (1969)
*''Hail, Hero!
''Hail, Hero!'' is a 1969 drama film directed by David Miller, starring Michael Douglas, Deborah Winters and Peter Strauss. David Manber wrote the screenplay based on the novel by John Weston. The picture was produced by Harold D. Cohen and was ...
'' (1969)
*''Me, Natalie
''Me, Natalie'' is a 1969 American comedy-drama film directed by Fred Coe about a homely young woman from Brooklyn who moves to Greenwich Village and finds romance with an aspiring painter. The screenplay by A. Martin Zweiback is based on an orig ...
'' (1969)
*'' The Reivers'' (1969)
*''The Royal Hunt of the Sun
''The Royal Hunt of the Sun'' is a 1964 play by Peter Shaffer that dramatizes the relation of two worlds entering in a conflict by portraying two characters: Atahuallpa Inca and Francisco Pizarro.
Performance history Premiere
''The Royal Hunt ...
'' (1969)
*'' A Boy Named Charlie Brown'' (1969)
*'' The Boys in the Band'' (1970)
*''Little Big Man
Little Big Man ( Lakota: Wičháša Tȟáŋkala), or Charging Bear, was an Oglala Lakota, or Oglala Sioux, who was a fearless and respected warrior who fought under, and was distant cousin to, Crazy Horse ("His-Horse-Is-Crazy"). He opposed the 186 ...
'' (1970)
*'' A Man Called Horse'' (1970)
*'' Monte Walsh'' (1970)
*''Rio Lobo
Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil.
Rio or Río may also refer to:
Geography Brazil
* Rio de Janeiro
* Rio do Sul, a ...
'' (1970)
*''Something for Everyone
''Something for Everyone'' is a 1970 American black comedy film starring Angela Lansbury, Michael York, Anthony Higgins, and Jane Carr.
The film was based on the novel ''The Cook'' by Harry Kressing, with a screenplay by Hugh Wheeler. The pl ...
'' (1970)
*'' Scrooge'' (1970)
*''Darker Than Amber
''Darker than Amber'' (1966) is the seventh novel in the Travis McGee series by John D. MacDonald
John Dann MacDonald (July 24, 1916December 28, 1986) was an American writer of novels and short stories. He is known for his thrillers.
MacDo ...
'' (1970)
*''Adam at Six A.M.
''Adam at 6 A.M.'' is a 1970 American drama film directed by Robert Scheerer. It stars Michael Douglas, Lee Purcell, Joe Don Baker, Louise Latham, Charles Aidman, Grayson Hall, Marge Redmond, and Dana Elcar. The film did not receive much atte ...
'' (1970)
*''Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
'' (1970)
*''Big Jake
''Big Jake'' is a 1971 American Technicolor Western film starring John Wayne, Richard Boone and Maureen O'Hara. The picture was the final film for George Sherman in a directing career of more than 30 years. It grossed $7.5 million in t ...
'' (1971)
*'' Le Mans'' (1971)
*'' Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?'' (1971)
*'' Something Big'' (1971)
*''The Christian Licorice Store
''The Christian Licorice Store'' is a 1971 American drama film directed by James Frawley and starring Beau Bridges and Maud Adams. The title of the film is based on lyrics from the song "Pleasant Street" by Tim Buckley who makes a cameo in the ...
'' (1971)
*''The African Elephant
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (1971)
*''Blue Water, White Death
''Blue Water, White Death'' is a 1971 American documentary about sharks which was directed by Peter Gimbel and
James Lipscomb. It received favourable reviews and was described as a "well produced odyssey" and "exciting and often beautiful". It s ...
'' (1971)
*''Prime Cut
''Prime Cut'' is a 1972 American action crime film produced by Joe Wizan, directed by Michael Ritchie from a screenplay written by Robert Dillon, and starring Lee Marvin, who portrays a mob enforcer from the Chicago Irish Mob sent to Kansas ...
'' (1972)
Films made under Stulberg at 20th Century Fox
*'' The Poseidon Adventure'' (1972)
*'' Sounder'' (1972)
*''Sleuth
Sleuth may refer to:
* Detective
*Sleuth, collective noun for a group of bears
Computing
* The Sleuth Kit, a collection of forensic analysis software
*SLEUTH assembler language for the UNIVAC 1107
Entertainment and media
*Cloo
Cloo (stylized ...
'' (1972)
*'' The Heartbreak Kid'' (1972)
*'' The Paper Chase'' (1973)
*''The Three Musketeers
''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight ...
'' (1973)
*''The Last American Hero
''The Last American Hero'' (also known as ''Hard Driver'') is a 1973 American sports drama film based on the true story of NASCAR driver Junior Johnson. Directed by Lamont Johnson (no relation), the film stars Jeff Bridges as Junior Jackson, a cha ...
'' (1973)
*''Emperor of the North Pole
''Emperor of the North Pole'' is a 1973 American action adventure film directed by Robert Aldrich, starring Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Keith Carradine, and Charles Tyner. It was later re-released on home media (and is more widely known) und ...
'' (1973)
*''Cinderella Liberty
''Cinderella Liberty'' is a 1973 American drama film adapted by Daryl Ponicsan from his 1973 novel of the same title. The film tells the story of a sailor who falls in love with a prostitute and becomes a surrogate father for her 10-year-old mix ...
'' (1973)
*'' The Seven Ups'' (1973)
*'' The Four Musketeers'' (1974)
*''The Towering Inferno
''The Towering Inferno'' is a 1974 American disaster film directed by John Guillermin and produced by Irwin Allen, featuring an ensemble cast led by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. It was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from the novels '' The Towe ...
'' (1974)
*''Harry and Tonto
''Harry and Tonto'' is a 1974 road movie written by Paul Mazursky and Josh Greenfeld and directed by Mazursky. It features Art Carney as Harry in an Oscar-winning performance. Tonto is his pet cat.
Plot
Harry Coombes (Art Carney) is an elderly ...
'' (1974)
*''Dirty Mary Crazy Larry
''Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry'' is a 1974 American road crime drama film based on the 1963 Richard Unekis novel titled ''The Chase'' (later retitled ''Pursuit''). Directed by John Hough, the film stars Peter Fonda, Susan George, Adam Roarke, and ...
'' (1974)
*''Zardoz
''Zardoz'' is a 1974 science fantasy film written, produced, and directed by John Boorman and starring Sean Connery and Charlotte Rampling. It depicts a post-apocalyptic world (which Boorman says, in the audio commentary, may or may not be mat ...
'' (1974)
*''Conrack
''Conrack'' is a 1974 American drama film based on the 1972 autobiographical book '' The Water Is Wide'' by Pat Conroy, directed by Martin Ritt and starring Jon Voight in the title role, alongside Paul Winfield, Madge Sinclair, Hume Cronyn and ...
'' (1974)
*'' 11 Harrowhouse'' (1974)
*''99 and 44/100% Dead
''99 and 44/100% Dead!'' is a 1974 American action comedy film directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Richard Harris. The title is a play on an advertising slogan for Ivory soap.
Plot
Harry Crown, a stylish professional hit man with a pai ...
'' (1974)
*''The Crazy World of Julius Vrooder
''The Crazy World of Julius Vrooder'' is a 1974 film from Playboy Enterprises directed by Arthur Hiller and produced by Hugh Hefner. This was the final film for actor George Marshall.
Plot
A Vietnam veteran who pretends to be insane ends up bei ...
'' (1974)
*''Young Frankenstein
''Young Frankenstein'' is a 1974 American comedy horror film directed by Mel Brooks. The screenplay was co-written by Brooks and Gene Wilder. Wilder also starred in the lead role as the title character, a descendant of the infamous Dr. Victor ...
'' (1974)
*''The Rocky Horror Picture Show
''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...
'' (1975)
*'' Star Wars'' (1977)
Films made under Stulberg at Polygram
*'' Endless Love'' (1981)
*'' An American Werewolf in London'' (1981)
References
External links
Doug Galloway, "Gordon Stulberg", 13 October 2000
in ''Variety''
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stulberg, Gordon
1923 births
Canadian Jews
2000 deaths
20th-century American businesspeople
American film studio executives
20th Century Studios people
Cornell University alumni
Canadian emigrants to the United States