Robert Chartoff, the Oscar-winning movie producer behind the boxing classics "Rocky" and "Raging Bull," died Wednesday, associates said. He was 81.
Chartoff died at his home in Santa Monica, California, Lynn Hendee, the president of his company, Chartoff Productions. He had been suffering from pancreatic cancer.
Born in Depression-era New York City, Chartoff had been a movie producer for nearly a decade when he found his career-defining hit in 1976's "Rocky," the small-budget movie starring and written by Sylvester Stallone that became a blockbuster and won three Academy Awards including best picture.
Chartoff and his partner Irwin Winkler would go on to produce all seven movies in the "Rocky" series, including the forthcoming "Creed," which is in post-production and due for release later this year.
He kept working into his late 70s and 80s, his recent credits including 2013's "Ender's Game" with Harrison Ford and 2014's "The Gambler" with Mark Wahlberg.
He also produced a different, darker take on boxing in the Martin Scorcese-directed "Raging Bull" in 1980.
His other credits included 1983's "The Right Stuff," which won four Oscars, and 1969's "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" a cult hit starring Jane Fonda.
He had five children with three different wives, and is survived by his current wife Jenny Weyman.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTE®,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.
“SMPTE’s membership has spoken,” said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann D’Amato. “These 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!”
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