Hank Moonjean


Hank Moonjean was an American film producer, executive producer, and associate producer. His production credits included Dangerous Liaisons, Child's Play, and The [Great Gatsby (1974 film)|The Great Gatsby] and several movies featuring Burt Reynolds. Moonjean and film producer Norma Heyman jointly received an Academy Award for Best Picture nomination for the 1988 dramatic film, Dangerous Liaisons.

Life and career

Moonjean, who was Armenian American, was born in Evanston, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Southern California. Soon after graduation from USC, he answered an employment ad for an interpreter at MGM Studios, and later became an uncredited assistant director for the 1954 film, Bhowani Junction, directed by George Cukor. He worked for MGM for eight years. He became a second director for numerous MGM films while at the studio: Blackboard Jungle, The Prodigal, It's Always Fair Weather, Love Me or Leave Me, The Tender Trap, I'll Cry Tomorrow, A Catered Affair, Kismet, Tea and Sympathy and Raintree County.
Moonjean collaborated to produce or co-produce many films starring Burt Reynolds, including The End in 1978, Hooper in 1978, Smokey and the Bandit II in 1980, Paternity in 1981, Sharky's Machine in 1981, and Stroker Ace in 1983. In 1975, Moonjean was announced as producer of The Bryna Company film Something Wicked This Way Comes, when it was set to be distributed through Paramount Pictures, but he eventually left the project.
In 2008, Moonjean released his memoir, Bring In The Peacocks: Memoirs Of A Hollywood Producer. He also donated an extensive collection of film advertisements to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Hank Moonjean died from pancreatic cancer at his Hollywood Hills residence on October 7, 2012, at the age of 82. He was survived by his partner of 51 years, Bradley Bennett.

Filmography

Film

;Assistant director
YearFilmRoleNotes
1955Blackboard JungleAssistant directorUncredited
1955Love Me or Leave MeAssistant directorUncredited
1955KismetAssistant directorUncredited
1956Somebody Up There Likes MeAssistant directorUncredited
1956High SocietyAssistant directorUncredited
1956Lust for LifeSecond assistant directorUncredited
1956The [Teahouse of the August Moon (film)|The Teahouse of the August Moon]Assistant directorUncredited
1957Raintree CountyAssistant directorUncredited
1957Until They SailAssistant directorUncredited
1957Jailhouse RockAssistant directorUncredited
1958GigiAssistant director: FranceUncredited
1958Cat on a Hot [Tin Roof (1958 film)|Cat on a Hot Tin Roof]Assistant directorUncredited
1959The [Diary of Anne Frank (1959 film)|The Diary of Anne Frank]Assistant director: NetherlandsUncredited
1959Never So FewAssistant directorUncredited
1960Tall StoryAssistant director
1960BUtterfield 8Assistant director
1961FannyAssistant directorUncredited
1962Sweet Bird of YouthAssistant director
1963Drums of AfricaAssistant director
1963The PrizeAssistant director
1964The [Unsinkable Molly Brown (film)|The Unsinkable Molly Brown]Assistant director
1965The Money TrapAssistant director
1965A Patch of BlueAssistant director
1967Cool Hand LukeAssistant director
1968The [Odd Couple (film)|The Odd Couple]Assistant director
1968The [Secret Life of an American Wife]Assistant director
1969The April FoolsAssistant director
1970MoveAssistant director
1970WUSAAssistant director
1972Child's PlayAssistant director

;Miscellaneous crew
YearFilmNotes
1970MoveAssistant to the producer
1972Pocket MoneyProduction representative

;Production manager
YearFilmNotes
1970MoveUnit production manager

Television

;As writer
YearTitle
1959The [David Niven Show]