Joe Wizan

Joe Wizan (January 7, 1935 – March 21, 2011) was an American film producer and studio executive. He was head of 20th Century Fox's motion picture division from 1983 to 1984. His credits as a producer or executive producer include Jeremiah Johnson, Junior Bonner, The Last American Hero, Audrey Rose, Along Came a Spider and Dark Night of the Scarecrow. Wizan died on March 21, 2011, at an assisted-living facility in Westlake Village, California. He was 76.

The company started its own production company in 1970. He then joined 20th Century Fox to replace Sherry Lansing in 1983. After leaving as president of 20th Century Fox Productions in July 1984, he resumed his independent producer status at the studio and Lawrence Gordon had replaced him.

In the early 1970s Wizan attempted to make Lloyd Williams and His Brother, the first script by Walter Hill.

In 1987, Joe Wizan Productions decided to invest in a $5 million Canadian investment firm for the total financing of his company's projects over the U.S., and merged his company Sterobcar Productions, with a Canadian investment firm Black Pearl Resources, in order to start out a new company Wizan Film Properties, and that Brian Findlay would be a principal of the firm, which lined up Canadian principals in the new fund, and instead of going hat-in-hand to studios, Wizan is planning on to develop screenplays in close collaborations with writers, and to flesh out packages with stars and majors before shopping the properties to the majors.

Todd Black, who worked at Wizan's production company, later became production partner and eventually transformed Joe Wizan Productions into Wizan/Black Films. In 1993, Wizan and Black broke their relationship, restoring to the previous Joe Wizan Productions name. After Wizan broke up with Black, the company then partnered with Don Schneider, eventually renaming it to Phase 1 Productions. The company made hits with Kiss the Girls, and eventually the final film, Along Came a Spider.

Filmography He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film Year Film Credit Notes 1972 Jeremiah Johnson Prime Cut Junior Bonner 1973 The Last American Hero Executive producer 1974 99 and 44/100% Dead 1977 Audrey Rose 1979 Voices ...And Justice for All Executive producer 1982 Best Friends Executive producer 1983 Two of a Kind 1984 Unfaithfully Yours 1986 Iron Eagle Tough Guys 1988 Split Decisions Spellbinder 1990 The Guardian Short Time Executive producer 1991 Becoming Colette Executive producer 1992 Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot Executive producer Class Act Executive producer 1993 Fire in the Sky Wrestling Ernest Hemingway 1996 Dunston Checks In 1997 Kiss the Girls 2001 Along Came a Spider Final film as a producer

Miscellaneous crew

Year Film Role 1979 ...And Justice for All Presenter 1981 Hard Feelings 1988 Iron Eagle II

Thanks

Year Film Role 1979 Natural Enemies Special thanks 2011 Under the Bridge Dedicatee

Television Year Title Credit Notes 1979 The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan Executive producer Television film 1981 Dark Night of the Scarecrow Executive producer Television film 1985 Silent Witness Executive producer Television film 1986 Sunday Drive Executive producer Television film 1990 El Diablo Television film 1991 Perfect Harmony Executive producer Television film 1993 Official Denial Executive producer Television film 1999 Sealed with a Kiss Television film

As an actor

Year Title Role Notes 1989 The Preppie Murder Mr. Maitland Television film