Richard Darryl Zanuck
USA- Biography of Richard Darryl Zanuck
- Early Career
- Partnerships and Success
- Collaboration with Steven Spielberg
- Later Career
- Personal Life
Biography of Richard Darryl Zanuck
Richard Darryl Zanuck was an American producer born in 1934 in Los Angeles. He came from a family deeply involved in the film industry, as his father was the head of the renowned production company '20th Century Fox'.
Early Career
Zanuck's professional career began while he was studying at Stanford University. He started working at his father's company and received his first film, 'Compulsion', as a test from his father in 1959.
Partnerships and Success
In the 1960s, Zanuck assumed the presidency of his father's company. However, he was soon fired by his own parent. He then moved on to work for another prestigious film company, 'Warner Bros.', but was also let go from there. In 1972, Zanuck and David Brown formed their own independent production company called 'Zanuck/Brown Productions'.
Collaboration with Steven Spielberg
Despite the changes in his career, Zanuck's name regularly appeared in the credits of several well-known films, including the famous movie 'Jaws', directed by Steven Spielberg. Zanuck and Brown also produced Spielberg's film 'Sugarland Express' a year prior to 'Jaws'. They went on to create other successful films such as 'Cocoon' in 1985 and 'Driving Miss Daisy' in 1989.
Later Career
Although Zanuck's partnership with Brown ended in 1988, he continued to produce numerous iconic films throughout his career. Some notable works include the thriller 'Mulholland Falls' directed by Lee Tamahori, the action movie 'Chain Reaction' starring Keanu Reeves, Clint Eastwood's 'True Crime', and 'Rules of Engagement' featuring Tommy Lee Jones.
Personal Life
Zanuck married model Linda Harrison in 1968, but they divorced in 1978. His previous wife was actress Lily Gentle. He later married actress and producer Lili Fini Zanuck, and their names occasionally appeared together in the credits of various films. In 2000, the couple served as producers for the 72nd Academy Awards ceremony.
In 2003, Zanuck worked as one of the producers for Tim Burton's comedic fantasy film 'Big Fish'. He continued his collaboration with Burton as a producer for the upcoming project 'Alice in Wonderland', set to be released in March 2010.
