By Jake Coyle, Film Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --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."
The late Bob Thomas, former Associated Press writer, contributed to this report.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTEยฎ,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
โSMPTEโs membership has spoken,โ said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann DโAmato. โThese officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!โ
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More