Hollywood film executive David Picker, who was known for producing iconic films such as A Hard Days Night and The Jerk as well as launching the James Bond franchise, died in his New York home Saturday after complications with colon cancer. He was 87.
For over 40 years, Picker was an executive producer and served as the President and CEO for United Artists, Paramount, Lorimar and Columbia Pictures. Many of todays top Hollywood luminaries worked for him as an assistant including Tom Rothman, Mark Gordon, Larry Mark, Bonnie Arnold, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Larry Kramer, and Jonathan Demme.
Picker was born in New York City on May 14, 1931. His storied and successful career in film would begin in 1956 when he worked in advertising and publicity at United Artists. He quickly rose in the ranks, becoming the assistant to the president and then managing United Artists Records. He would go on to bring the film Tom Jones to the company in 1963. It received four Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.
He became CEO of United Artists in 1970. It is then when he struck a deal with Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli for the James Bond series — which would go on to be one of the most successful franchises in history. He also signed the Beatles to a three-picture deal and helped oversee the released of A Hard Days Night and Help!. He is also credited with bringing iconic films such as Midnight Cowboy and Last Tango in Paris to United Artists as well as bringing in Woody Allen to the company. He also brought acclaimed European filmmakers such as Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman, François Truffaut, Louis Malle, and Sergio Leone to United Artists.
After leaving United Artists, Picker would go on to start Two Roads Productions in 1973 which would produce films like the Academy Award-nominated Lenny and Juggernaut. He would then take on the role of President of Motion Pictures at Paramount where he brought even more iconic titles to Hollywood including Saturday Night Fever, Grease as well as Ordinary People which nabbed four Oscars.
He left his post at Paramount and partnered with Steve Martin for numerous titles in the 80s that would become classics including The Jerk, Dead Men Dont Wear Plaid and The Man With Two Brains. He also became the President of Feature Films at Lorimar Productions and then Columbia Pictures. His added numerous films to his resume including Being There, School Daze, Punch Line and Read More – Source
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