Dawn Steel American actress and producer Date of Birth: 19.08.1946 Country: USA

1. Biography of Dawn Steel
2. Early Career
3. Head of Columbia Pictures
4. Later Career and Legacy
5. Illness and Death

Biography of Dawn Steel

Dawn Steel, an American actress and producer, was one of the first women to head a major Hollywood film studio. She was born Dawn Spielberg on August 19, 1946, in New York City. Despite sharing a last name, she has no relation to Steven Spielberg. Steel grew up in Great Neck, Long Island. She attended New York University but did not complete her degree.

Early Career

Steel began her career as the director of merchandising for the men's magazine 'Penthouse'. In 1975, she founded her own company, which introduced innovative elements in various industries, including designing a logo for toilet paper. In 1978, Steel joined Paramount Pictures to plan the marketing for films, including 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture'. She was involved in the marketing of films such as 'Fatal Attraction' and 'Flashdance'. By 1980, Steel became the Vice President of Production and eventually became the head of the production department in 1985.

Head of Columbia Pictures

Steel became the second woman to lead a major film production department, following in the footsteps of Sherry Lansing at Twentieth-Century Fox. During her tenure, she oversaw the release of movies such as 'Flashdance', 'Top Gun', and 'Fatal Attraction'. Steel married film producer Charles Roven in 1985 and they had a daughter named Rebecca Steel Roven. She achieved the position of President of Columbia Pictures in 1987, during which the independent production company 'Castle Rock' released the film 'When Harry Met Sally', which Steel developed and produced.

Later Career and Legacy

However, Steel's presidency at Columbia Pictures was marked by financial losses and turmoil that began before her appointment, leading to her removal in 1989. Shortly after leaving the studio, Steel founded 'Atlas Entertainment' and became an independent producer. Her final two films were the thriller 'Fallen' and the romantic drama 'City of Angels', dedicated to her memory, starring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan. In 1993, she published her autobiography, 'They Can Kill You But They Can't Eat You'.

Illness and Death

In April 1996, Steel was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She passed away at the age of 51, after a 20-month battle with the illness.