Lawrence Turman

Lawrence Turman
Turman in 2005
Born(1926-11-28)November 28, 1926
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedJuly 1, 2023(2023-07-01) (aged 96)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationFilm producer
Years active1961–2001
Known forDirector of The Peter Stark Producing Program
Spouses
Suzanne Rita Trieb
​
​
(m. 1958; div. 1974)​
Margaret Buckley
​
​
(m. 1976, divorced)​
Children3

Lawrence Turman (November 28, 1926 – July 1, 2023) was an American film producer. He was best known for serving as a producer of The Graduate (1967, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.)

Early life

Turman was born in Los Angeles, California on November 28, 1926, into a Jewish family.[1] His father was Jacob Turman and his mother Esther Gldman Turman.[2] Turman served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.[3]

Career

Turman was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture as producer of The Graduate (1967).[4][5] He also produced other films such as Pretty Poison (1968), The Great White Hope (1970), The Thing (1982),[6] Mass Appeal (1984), Short Circuit (1986), The River Wild (1994), and American History X (1998).[7]

Turman also directed two films: The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker (1971) and Second Thoughts (1983).[7]

Turman was co-partner on The Turman/Foster Company with David Foster, which was established in 1972, to make theatrical films, which was increasingly prominent in television production, in order to eye on television movies, and planned work on series, and eyeing television sales, and the company ran under contract to Warner Bros., developing their failed television pilots, like Mass Appeal.[8]

Turman was a member of the Producers Guild Hall of Fame.[9] He served as the director of The Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California.[7]

Turman published the book So You Want to be a Producer in 2005.[10]

In 2014, he appeared as a guest critic on the fourth season of the web series On Cinema. In 2015, he appeared as himself in ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary Trojan War.[11]

Death

Turman died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Los Angeles on July 1, 2023, at the age of 96.[9]

Filmography

He was producer for all films unless otherwise noted.

Film

Year Film Credit Notes Ref.
1961 The Young Doctors
1963 I Could Go On Singing
Stolen Hours Executive producer
1964 The Best Man
1967 The Flim-Flam Man
The Graduate
1968 Pretty Poison Executive producer
1970 The Great White Hope
1971 The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker
1974 The Nickel Ride Executive producer
1975 The Drowning Pool
1977 First Love
Heroes
1979 Walk Proud
1981 Caveman
1982 The Thing
[6]
1983 Second Thoughts
1984 Mass Appeal
1985 The Mean Season
1986 Short Circuit
Running Scared
1988 Short Circuit 2
Full Moon in Blue Water
1989 Gleaming the Cube
1994 The Getaway
The River Wild
1997 Booty Call Executive producer
1998 American History X Executive producer
2001 Kingdom Come Executive producer
What's the Worst That Could Happen?
2011 The Thing Executive producer Final film as a producer
Miscellaneous crew
Year Film Role
1963 I Could Go On Singing Presenter
1964 The Best Man
1980 Tribute
As director
Year Film
1971 The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker
1983 Second Thoughts

Television

Year Title Credit Notes
1969 The Flim-Flam Man Executive producer Television pilot
1973 She Lives! Executive producer Television film
1974 Get Christie Love! Executive producer Television film
The Morning After Executive producer Television film
Unwed Father Executive producer Television film
1982 Between Two Brothers Executive producer Television film
The Gift of Life Executive producer Television film
1986 News at Eleven Executive producer Television film
1996 Pretty Poison Executive producer Television film
1998 The Long Way Home Executive producer Television film
2000 Miracle on the Mountain: The Kincaid Family Story Executive producer Television film
Miscellaneous crew
Year Title Role Notes
1974 Savages Creative consultant Television film

References

  1. ^ Erens, Patricia (1998). The Jew in American Cinema. Indiana University Press. p. 392. ISBN 978-0-253-20493-6.
  2. ^ "New York Times. pg B9". July 8, 2023.
  3. ^ Lawrence Turman, Oscar-nominated producer of ‘The Graduate,’ dies at 96 Los Angeles Times via Internet Archive. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  4. ^ Hello Again, Mrs Robinson
  5. ^ The 40th Academy Awards (1968) Nominees and Winner
  6. ^ a b Canby, Vincent (June 25, 1982). "The Thing, Horror and Science Fiction". New York Times. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  7. ^ a b c Saperstein, Pat (July 3, 2023). "Lawrence Turman, Oscar-Nommed for Producing 'The Graduate,' Dies at 96". Variety. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  8. ^ "Theatrical Production Company Turman Foster Eyeing TV Sales". Variety. December 31, 1986. p. 32.
  9. ^ a b Barnes, Mike (July 3, 2023). "Lawrence Turman, Oscar-Nominated Producer of 'The Graduate,' Dies at 96". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Clack, Erin. "Lawrence Turman, Oscar-Nominated Producer of 'The Graduate,' Dead at 96". People. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  11. ^ Fienberg, Daniel (October 12, 2015). "'30 for 30: Trojan War': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 3, 2023.