Robert Nederlander

Robert Nederlander
Born
Robert Elliot Nederlander

(1933-04-10) April 10, 1933 (age 91)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Michigan (BA, JD)
Occupation(s)Live theater owner and operator
Known forPresident of the Nederlander Organization
Minority owner of the New York Yankees
Spouses
Caren Elaine Berman
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​
(m. 1952; div. 1985)​
​
​
(m. 1988; died 2008)​
Children2
Parent(s)Sarah Applebaum
David T. Nederlander
FamilyJames M. Nederlander (brother)
Joseph Z. Nederlander (brother)
James L. Nederlander (nephew)

Robert Elliot Nederlander Sr. (born April 10, 1933) is an American attorney and businessman who served as the president of the Nederlander Organization, which has been involved in the live theatre industry since the early 20th century. He is also the former managing general partner of the New York Yankees. He served in this role during the suspension of George Steinbrenner.[1]

Early life and education

Nederlander was born on April 10, 1933, to a Jewish family in Detroit, Michigan, the youngest of six children born to Sarah (née Applebaum) and David T. "D.T." Nederlander.[2][3][4] His father bought his first live theater in 1905, the Fisher Theater in Detroit and founded the family company, the Nederlander Organization.[2] He has four brothers: Harry, Jimmy, Fred, and Joseph; and one sister, Frances.[2] Nederlander graduated from the University of Michigan, where he played on the school's tennis team, and earned a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School after which he established a law firm in Detroit.[2]

Career

After his father's death in the 1960s, the Nederlander brothers continued to purchase theaters[2] expanding nationally with Jimmy moving to New York City, Harry to San Francisco, and Joey remaining in Detroit.[3] Their largest rivals were the Shubert family, the owners of the largest number of Broadway theatres in New York City. In 1973, Nederlander and his brothers joined with George Steinbrenner as limited partners when Steinbrenner purchased the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.[2] In 1981, he moved to New York City, the heart of the live theater industry in the United States to serve as president of the Nederlander Organization while his brother Jimmy served as the frontman for the company.[2][5] He was also named the chairman and chief executive officer of the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company in 1989.[6] He resigned from the role in 1993 to focus on other business ventures.[7]

In 1990, when Steinbrenner was banned from the Yankees for his association with a known gambler (whom he had hired to find dirt on Dave Winfield),[8] Nederlander became the Yankees' managing general partner (Steinbrenner's oldest son, Hank, had declined the position).[5] Nederlander resigned from the role, effective December 31, 1991,[9][10] and was succeeded by Joe Molloy.[8]

Personal life

Nederlander was married and divorced twice[3] to his first wife, psychologist Caren Elaine Berman.[3][11][12] They had two sons:

  • Eric Nederlander, a theatrical producer, who was briefly married to cookbook author Nina Danielle Sklar (who later married comedian Jerry Seinfeld). In 2004, he married Dr. Lindsey Kupferman in a ceremony at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.[13] They divorced in 2007.[14]
  • Robert Nederlander Jr.,[2] the president of Interactive Concepts Unlimited, a multimedia development company. In 1994, he married Suzanne Beth Meirowitz, a producer for CBS Evening News, in a ceremony in New York City.[12]

Nederlander's second wife, theater and television producer Gladys Nederlander, died in 2008 at the age of 83.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Nederlander Is Optimistic As He Steps On Yanks' Stage — Sun Sentinel". Articles.sun-sentinel.com. March 9, 1991. Archived from the original on October 25, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h McG. Thomas Jr., Robert (August 16, 1990). "From Broadway to the Bronx; Robert Nederlander Brings Low-Key Management Style to the Yankees — New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d New York Magazine: "Jimmy Nederlander's Endless Run" By Eric Konigsberg retrieved August 3, 2013
  4. ^ Chessler, Suzanne (May 5, 2021). "Obituary: Joseph Nederlander, Michigan's Theater Pioneer — Detroit Jewish News". The Jewish News. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Berkow, Ira (August 16, 1990). "SPORTS OF THE TIMES; Enter Nederlander; Exit George — New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  6. ^ DANIEL F. CUFFPublished: June 1, 1989 (June 1, 1989). "BUSINESS PEOPLE; Allis-Chalmers Names A Nederlander as Head — New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved September 12, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ The Milwaukee Sentinel – Google News Archive Search
  8. ^ a b Darcy, Kieran (June 6, 2008). "Darcy: The man who would be king — ESPN Page 2". ESPN. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  9. ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search
  10. ^ Curry, Jack (December 6, 1991). "BASEBALL; Give My Regards to Yankees, Says Nederlander - New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  11. ^ New York Times: "WEDDINGS; Caren Nederlander, Edwin Mishkin" April 22, 2001
  12. ^ a b New York Times: "WEDDINGS; Ms. Meirowitz, Mr. Nederlander" February 13, 1994
  13. ^ New York Times: "Lindsey Kupferman and Eric Nederlander" by SHANNON DONNELLY November 28, 2004
  14. ^ New York Post Magazine: "The Black Sheep of Broadway" by Stefanie Cohen March 2012
  15. ^ "Gladys Nederlander, show producer, is dead". Usatoday.Com. July 23, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2012.