Roger Birnbaum


Roger Birnbaum is an American film, television, and executive producer.

Early life

Birnbaum was born to a Jewish family in Teaneck, New Jersey, the son of Arlene and Norman Birnbaum. His father was a World War II veteran who went into the embroidery business with his father after the war, and used his profits in 1967 to build the Stonehenge, a residential building in New Jersey. Birnbaum graduated from Teaneck High School in 1968 and attended the University of Denver.

Career

Birnbaum started out in the music industry at Arista Records working under Clive Davis. A&M Records brought him out to Hollywood becoming its West Coast A&R executive, where he switch over to film. While working at film, he was appointed president of Fair Dinkum Productions, which was headed by Henry Winkler, who supervised Young Sherlock Holmes and The Sure Thing. He worked at United Artists, Guber-Peters Co. then 20th Century Fox. He was president of production at 20th Century Fox by 1992.
Caravan Pictures was founded by Birnbaum and Joe Roth as a production company at Disney Studios (division)|Disney] in 1992 to fill the Disney Studios' then-yearly 50 to 60 production and distribution slots. Birnbaum previously left Caravan at the prompting of then Disney studio chief Joe Roth as Disney was cutting its yearly production output and shutting down Caravan. In August 1998, Birnbaum with Gary Barber, former vice chairman and COO of Morgan Creek Productions founded Spyglass Entertainment.
On December 20, 2010, after the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had emerged from bankruptcy, Birnbaum and Barber became co-Chairs and co-CEOs of the studio. On October 3, 2012, Birnbaum announced his intention to exit his role as an MGM executive and return to "hands-on" producing. He will remain with the studio to produce films on "an exclusive basis".
He has since founded four production companies, Pin High Productions, Cave 76 Productions, with Eli Roth, Arts District Entertainment and with Mark Kimsey, Electromagnetic Productions. By September 8, 2016, his exclusivity with MGM had ended.

Personal life

His first wife was Pamela West; they had one daughter Claire Birnbaum Block. He married then-restaurant guest relations manager Leslie Lopez in 2013. Birnbaum and Lopez divorced in 2019. He was previously in a seven-year relationship with actress Teri Garr. In 2024 he married Lorraine Kelly.

Filmography

Film

ProducerThe Sure Thing The Three Musketeers Angels in the Outfield A Low Down Dirty Shame Houseguest The Jerky Boys: The Movie Heavyweights Tall Tale While You Were Sleeping The Big Green Powder Celtic Pride First Kid The Rich Man's Wife Metro Grosse Pointe Blank Gone Fishin' G.I. Jane Washington Square RocketMan Six Days, Seven Nights Simon Birch Rush Hour Holy Man Inspector Gadget Shanghai Noon Rush Hour 2 The Count of Monte Cristo Dragonfly Abandon Reign of Fire The Recruit Shanghai Knights The Perfect Score Connie and Carla Mr. 3000 The Pacifier The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy The Lookout The Invisible Evan Almighty Rush Hour 3 Underdog Balls of Fury 27 Dresses Flash of Genius Four Christmases Leap Year The Tourist The Vow The Magnificent Seven Death Wish The Hustle South of Heaven Thanksgiving Absolution
Executive producerWho's That Girl Angie Before and After Maximum Risk The Beautician and the Beast Overnight Delivery Keeping the Faith Unbreakable Out Cold Inspector Gadget 2 Bruce Almighty One Love Seabiscuit The Legend of Zorro Memoirs of a Geisha Eight Below Stay Alive Stick It Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins The Ruins The Happening Wanted The Love Guru Ghost Town G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Invictus Dinner for Schmucks No Strings Attached Footloose G.I. Joe: Retaliation RoboCop Glass Know Your Enemy
Special thanksRain Man Dead Presidents Above Suspicion
;Acting role
YearFilmRoleNotes
1998Making SandwichesHollywood TypeShort film

Television

YearTitleNotes
1983Ryan's Four
1983When Your Lover LeavesTV movie
1985Scandal SheetTV movie