Mo Rothman

Moses Rothman (January 14, 1919 – September 15, 2011) was a Canadian-born, American studio executive who persuaded Charlie Chaplin to return to the United States in 1972, ending Chaplin's twenty year, self-imposed exile. Chaplin's return to the United States restored his popularity and public reputation. At the time, the New York Times noted Rothmam's extensive involvement with the visit describing Rothman as "abrupt and ingratiating five times in three minutes" — as a kind of performance in its own right, evoking the manner of "the Hollywood tycoon of the 1930s."

Chaplin died in 1977, his popularity restored. Rothman continued to release his films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. During the mid-1980s, Rothman loaned the now defunct United States Information Agency twelve of Chaplin's films, which were screened at American embassies worldwide as an example of American film and art.

Later life In 1982, Rothman was the recipient of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for his contributions to Italian cinema. He served as a judge for both the Venice Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival in 1985.

Rothman was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease later in life. In 2001, his wife, Lyn Rothman, spurred on by her husband's diagnosis, founded the Parkinson's Appeal for Deep Brain Stimulation, based in London.

Mo Rothman died from Parkinson's disease in Los Angeles on September 15, 2011, at the age 92. and is survived by his wife, Lyn Rothman, with whom he had been married for 37 years; three children from two previous marriages: Keith from his first marriage and Nicole and Monique from his second marriage to German actress Hanna Rucker (1923-1982); two stepchildren, Sebastian and Arabella; and seven grandchildren. He was interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.