James M. Nederlander


James M. Nederlander was an American theatrical producer who served as chairman of the Nederlander Organization, one of the largest operators of live theaters and music venues in the United States. He was a 10-time Tony Award winner and was nominated for 37 Tony Awards.

Early life and education

Nederlander was born in Detroit to a Jewish family, one of six children of Sarah and David T. "D.T." Nederlander. His father bought his first live theater in 1905, the Fisher Theater in Detroit and founded the family company, the Nederlander Organization. He has four brothers: Harry, Robert, Fred, and Joseph; and one sister, Frances.

Career

Jimmy was the first of the brothers to go into the family business. He dropped out of the pre-law program at the Detroit Institute of Technology, took a job in the box office of the Lafayette Theater, and then worked as the treasurer in the traveling Air Force production of Moss Hart's Winged Victory which played on Broadway where he made valuable connections. After his father's death in the 1960s, the Nederlander brothers continued to purchase theaters expanding nationally with Jimmy moving to New York City, Harry to San Francisco, and Joey remaining in Detroit. Their largest rivals were the Shubert family, the founders of Broadway theatre district in New York City. From 1965 to 1985, Jimmy purchased ten theaters in New York City and produced hundreds of plays forming close relationships with producers David Merrick, Alexander H. Cohen, and Emanuel Azenberg. In 1973, Nederlander and his brothers joined with George Steinbrenner as limited partners when Steinbrenner purchased the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.
The Nederlander Organization controls nine Broadway theaters and is the second largest owner, of the three companies that dominate Broadway after the Shubert Organization and ahead of Jujamcyn. The Nederlander Organization owns a larger number of theater houses than the others with an additional fifteen theaters nationwide. They are the only one of the three that is still run by its owners.

Personal life

Nederlander was married twice. His first wife was Barbara Smith with whom he had a son, James L. Nederlander, the current CEO and owner of the Nederlander Organization.
In 1969, he married his second wife Charlene Saunders.
Broadway in Chicago announced on November 13, 2018, that the Oriental Theater was to be renamed in honor of James, the founder of Broadway In Chicago. On February 8, 2019 the venue unveiled its newly renovated marquee, vertical blade sign and signage as the James M. Nederlander Theatre.

Awards and nominations

Tony Awards

YearNominated workRoleCategoryResult
1974SeesawProducerBest MusicalNomitated
1977Otherwise EngagedProducerBest PlayNomitated
1979Whose Life Is It Anyway?ProducerBest PlayNomitated
1980West Side StoryProducerBest RevivalNomitated
1981Woman of the YearProducerBest MusicalNomitated
1982The DresserProducerBest PlayNomitated
1982The Life and Adventures of Nicholas NicklebyProducerBest Play
1982NineProducerBest Musical
1983MerlinProducerBest MusicalNomitated
1984Noises OffProducerBest PlayNomitated
1984La Cage aux FollesProducerBest Musical
1985Strange InterludeProducerBest RevivalNomitated
1985Cyrano de BergeracProducerBest RevivalNomitated
1985Much Ado About NothingProducerBest RevivalNomitated
1985GrindProducerBest MusicalNomitated
1986Sweet CharityProducerBest Revival
1986The Iceman ComethProducerBest RevivalNomitated
1986BenefactorsProducerBest PlayNomitated
1987Les Liaisons DangereusesProducerBest PlayNomitated
1987Me and My GirlProducerBest MusicalNomitated
1989Cafe CrownProducerBest RevivalNomitated
1991Peter PanProducerBest RevivalNomitated
1991ShadowlandsProducerBest RevivalNomitated
1991The Will Rogers FolliesProducerBest Musical
1993The Goodbye GirlProducerBest MusicalNomitated
1994She Loves MeProducerBest Revival of a MusicalNomitated
1995How to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingProducerBest Revival of a MusicalNomitated
1996The King and IProducerBest Revival of a Musical
1998A View From the BridgeProducerBest Revival of a Play
19981776ProducerBest Revival of a MusicalNomitated
1999Peter PanProducerBest Revival of a MusicalNomitated
2000CopenhagenProducerBest Play
2002Private LivesProducerBest Revival of a Play
2004Special Tony AwardRecipientLifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2013AnnieProducerBest Revival of a MusicalNomitated
2016Fiddler on the RoofProducerBest Revival of a MusicalNomitated
2016School of RockProducerBest MusicalNomitated

Drama Desk Awards

YearNominated workRoleCategoryResult
1975London AssuranceProducerUnique Theatrical Experience
1977Otherwise EngagedProducerOutstanding New Play (Foreign)
1980Night and DayProducerOutstanding New PlayNomitated
1981Lena Horne: The Lady and Her MusicProducerOutstanding MusicalNomitated
1982NineProducerOutstanding Musical
1984Noises OffProducerOutstanding New PlayNomitated
1984La Cage aux FollesProducerOutstanding MusicalNomitated
1985Aren't We All?ProducerOutstanding RevivalNomitated
1986The Iceman ComethProducerOutstanding RevivalNomitated
1986BenefactorsProducerOutstanding New PlayNomitated
Les Liaisons DangereusesProducerOutstanding New PlayNomitated
1987[Me and My Girl">Les Liaisons Dangereuses (play)">Les Liaisons DangereusesProducerOutstanding New PlayNomitated
1987[Me and My GirlProducerOutstanding MusicalNomitated
1991The Will Rogers FolliesProducerOutstanding Musical
1995How to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingProducerOutstanding MusicalNomitated
1996The King and IProducerOutstanding Revival of a Musical
2000CopenhagenProducerOutstanding New Play
2002Private LivesProducerOutstanding Revival of a Play
2003MedeaProducerOutstanding Revival of a PlayNomitated
2016Fiddler on the RoofProducerOutstanding Revival of a MusicalNomitated
2016School of RockProducerOutstanding MusicalNomitated