Lawrence Gordon

Lawrence Gordon (born March 25, 1936) is an American producer and motion picture executive. He specializes in producing action-oriented films and other genres. Some of his most popular productions include 48 Hours, Predator (1987), Die Hard (1988), Die Hard 2 (1990), Predator 2 (1990), Point Break (1991), Boogie Nights (1997), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Hellboy (2004), and Watchmen (2009).

Early life and education Gordon was raised in a Jewish family in Belzoni, Mississippi. He graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans.

Career After moving to Los Angeles he began his producing career in 1964 working for Aaron Spelling and became writer and associate producer on the TV series Burke's Law. He quickly moved up the ranks and worked as an executive producer at ABC and at Screen Gems. It was written and directed by Walter Hill who then collaborated with Gordon on a short lived TV series Dog and Cat. After a stint at Columbia, he moved to Paramount Pictures in the late 1970s, to develop ideas, mainly for the unmade Paramount Television Service, while also working on blockbusters under the deal like The Warriors.

In 1978 he had two high-grossing films with Hooper and The End, both starring Burt Reynolds.

In the early 1980s, he created the TV series Matt Houston.

Gordon worked on multiple films in the 1970s and 1980s with fellow producer Joel Silver, most notably Streets of Fire and 48 Hrs.

In July 1984, he replaced Joe Wizan as head of production at 20th Century Fox. Two months later, he was appointed president of Fox Entertainment Group. In January 1986, he resigned as president and chief operating officer, citing poor health due to a heart condition. He was planning to reactivate Lawrence Gordon Productions in a two-year independent production deal with the studio. For three years, from 1986 until its founding of Largo in 1989, Lawrence Gordon Productions was based at 20th Century Fox, sometimes heading under the name The Gordon Company, when he was with his brother Charles Gordon.

In 1989, he produced Field of Dreams which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. He subsequently formed Largo Entertainment which was backed by the Japanese company JVC. He left Largo in 1994 to sign a deal with Universal Pictures. Both Larry and Chuck produced together one last time under the banner of The Gordon Company on Waterworld.

Gordon also had an independent production deal with Universal Pictures under the name Lawrence Gordon Productions. Under Lawrence Gordon Productions, he produced Jumpin' Jack Flash, Boogie Nights, Mystery Men, K-9, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Hellboy and its sequel The Golden Army, and Watchmen.

Selected filmography He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted. Films made while head of production at AIP Coffy Slaughter Boxcar Bertha Dr Phibes Rides Again Blacula The Thing with Two Heads Slaughter 2 Dillinger Sugar Hill Little Cigars Madhouse Heavy Traffic Black Caesar The Sisters Cannibal Girls The Land that Time Forgot (initial deal done) Fritz the Cat Macon County Line The Black Windmill Golden Needles Truck Turner Black Mama White Mama Scream Blacula Scream Foxy Brown Film

As producer Year Film Credit Notes 1973 Dillinger Executive producer 1975 Hard Times 1977 Rolling Thunder Executive producer 1978 The End The Driver Hooper Executive producer 1979 The Warriors 1980 Xanadu 1981 Paternity 1982 Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again 48 Hrs. 1984 Streets of Fire 1985 Brewster's Millions 1986 Jumpin' Jack Flash 1987 Predator 1988 The Couch Trip The Wrong Guys Executive producer Die Hard 1989 Leviathan Executive producer Field of Dreams K-9 Lock Up Family Business 1990 Another 48 Hrs. Die Hard 2 Predator 2 1991 The Rocketeer 1995 Waterworld 1997 The Devil's Own Event Horizon Boogie Nights Executive producer 1999 Mystery Men K-911 Executive producer Direct-to-video Thieves 2001 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider K-PAX 2002 K-9: P.I. Executive producer Direct-to-video 2003 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life 2004 Hellboy 2008 Hellboy II: The Golden Army 2009 Watchmen Under the HoodExecutive producerDirect-to-videoTales of the Black FreighterExecutive producerDirect-to-video 2019 Hellboy 2022 Prey Executive producer 2024Watchmen: Chapter IExecutive producerWatchmen: Chapter IIExecutive producer 2025Predator: Killer of Killers Executive producer Predator: Badlands Executive producer

As writer Year Film Credit 1969 The Devil's 8 Story

As an actor Year Film Role 1971 The Christian Licorice Store Hollywood Party Guest

Miscellaneous crew Year Film Role 1991 Point Break President: Largo Entertainment 1992 Back in the USSR Unlawful Entry Dr. Giggles Used People President: Largo EntertainmentPresenter 1994 Timecop President: Largo Entertainment 1995 Waterworld Presenter 1997 The Devil's Own Event Horizon 1999 Mystery Men

Thanks Year Film Role 2020 Da 5 Bloods Special thanks

Television

As producer

1979 The Nightingales|Executive producer Television film

2023 Bill Russell: Legend|Executive producer Documentary

Field of Dreams''Executive producerFuture series

As writer