Thomas Rothman Biography

Thomas Edgar "Tom" Rothman (born November 21, 1954) is an American film executive and was recently named Chairman of a new joint venture with Sony Pictures to make movies and television under the TriStar banner called TriStar Productions. He was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fox Filmed Entertainment with Jim Gianopulos until his resignation on September 14, 2012, effective January 1. Rothman began at Fox in 1994 as the founder and President of Fox Searchlight and served the company for 18 years. Under his leadership, Fox had the best profit margins of any movie studio.

During Rothman's tenure, Fox films were nominated for over 150 Oscars and won three Best Picture Awards. The company also earned over $30 billion in the box office and made the two highest grossing films of all time, Titanic and Avatar. Rothman also hosted Fox Legacy, a television series in which he provided background and behind-the-scenes information regarding the making of films.

Early life and education

Rothman was born in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1976, Rothman graduated from Brown University with Honors in English and American Literature, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and was an All New England selection in Division 1 Lacrosse.

In 1977, he worked as an English Teacher at the Salisbury School in Connecticut and coached varsity soccer. He graduated from Columbia Law School in 1980 as a James Kent Scholar, the school's highest academic honor. In 1981, he served on The United States Court of Appeals Second Circuit as a law clerk for the Honorable Walter Mansfield. From 1982 to 1986, he worked as an attorney at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz.

Film career

• In 1986, Rothman co-produced Jim Jarmusch"?s Down by Law and Robert Frank"?s Candy Mountain.

• In 1987, Tom Rothman began working as an Executive Vice President of Columbia Pictures on all aspects of film development and production.

• In 1989, he served as president of Worldwide Production for the Samuel Goldwyn Company. He supervised landmark independent films such as Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, Longtime Companion, Truly Madly Deeply, Wild At Heart, and The Madness of King George. He discovered and championed numerous young filmmakers who went on to become successful, including Ang Lee, Anthony Minghella,and Kenneth Branagh. During this time, the company's films won the Palme d'Or at Cannes three times.

• For 18 years, Rothman worked at Fox Filmed Entertainment.

• In 1994, Rothman founded and was the first President of Fox Searchlight, one of the first specialty film divisions linked to a major studio. Fox Searchlight went on to distribute multiple Oscar winning films, including Slumdog Millionaire, which won the Best Picture Oscar in 2008.

• From 1996-1998, Rothman was president of production for Twentieth Century Fox where he oversaw the majority of the company"?s film development and production.

• From 1998-2000, Rothman was president of Twentieth Century Fox Film Group.

• From 2000-2012, Tom Rothman was chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment (FFE). FFE includes 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Blue Sky Animation, and Twentieth Century Fox Television. During this time, the studio was nominated for over 150 Academy Awards, won three Best Picture Oscars, earned over $30 billion in worldwide box office sales. Fox had the best profit margins of any movie studio. Some of the films produced over Rothman's tenure include: Lincoln, Life of Pi, Descendants, Cast Away, Master and Commander, Black Swan, Walk the Line, Juno, The Devil Wears Prada, The X-Men series, the Ice Age series, Rio, and several others. Under Rothman"?s leadership, Fox produced Modern Family, Glee, and Homeland.

• From 2007-2010, Tom Rothman hosted Fox Legacy, a television series in which he provided background and behind-the-scenes information regarding the making of films.

• In September 2012, Tom Rothman resigned as chairman and chief executive of Fox Filmed Entertainment. That same month, Steven Spielberg announced that Rothman would produce Spielberg"?s Robopocalypse, for DreamWorks.

• In 2012, he was appointed as a director of Priceline.com Inc.

• In 2013, Sundance Film Festival named Rothman to its U.S. Dramatic Jury, and he presented the Grand Jury prize to Fruitvale Station. He is also responsible for the re-launch of the Tristar Productions studio.

Awards and recognition

• In 1995, the first Fox Searchlight movie The Brothers McMullen won The Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

• In 1997, Titanic was nominated for a record 14 Academy Awards and won Best Picture and 10 other Academy Awards.

• In 1998, Columbia University awarded Rothman the Arthur B. Krim Award for outstanding leadership in his work.

• In 2003, Premiere"?s Power List ranked Tom Rothman #7.

• In 2004, The Saturn Rings, an award presented annually by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, awarded Tom Rothman The Life Career Award.

• In 2004, The National Multiple Sclerosis Society honored Tom Rothman at its 30th Annual Dinner of Champions.

• In 2005, Variety awarded Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos the Showman of the Year Award.

• In 2007, Entertainment Weekly ranked Tom Rothman #19 on their list of "The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood.

• In 2009, Mentor L.A. honored Tom Rothman for his commitment to public education.

• In 2011, The Gotham Independent Film Awards awarded Rothman the Industry Tribute, which is the lifetime achievement award for independent film.

• In the fall of 2012, MSN Entertainment listed the fact that Tom Rothman left 20th Century Fox as one of the "Biggest Movie Bummers of 2012"?.

• In 2012, The American Jewish Committee awarded Tom Rothman the Dorothy & Sherrill Corwin Award for Human Relations.

Philanthropy

Rothman is active in the nonprofit arts and education arenas. In December 2013, President Obama nominated Rothman to serve on the 18-member National Council on the Arts. The Council advises on the National Endowment for the Arts"?s policies and programs and makes recommendations on grant applications. He is a member of the Board of the Corporation of Brown University, where he serves on the Academic Affairs Committee. He has worked as a teacher and fundraiser for Mentor L.A. Partner Schools. Rothman is an emeritus member of the Board of Directors of the Sundance Institute, which he served for 20 years, and the American Film Institute, a top film graduate school. Tom Rothman has been involved in fundraising activities for The Jewish Home for the Aging, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the American Jewish Committee. He serves on the board of New York"?s Art Therapy Outreach Center (ATOC), an organization that uses art therapy to help at risk groups. He serves on the Board of Trustees for California Institute of the Arts.

Personal life

Rothman is married to actress, singer, and author Jessica Harper. The couple has two daughters. Rothman is the brother of actor John Rothman.