Producer, Studio Executive. Zanuck graduated from Stanford University and served in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of lieutenant. Upon his discharge, he went to work at 20th Century Fox as a story and production assistant, working on such films as 'Island in the Sun' (1957) and 'The Sun Also Rises' (1957) and at the age of 24, produced his first film, 'Compulsion' (1959). In 1962, he became the youngest production chief in Hollywood when he was appointed by his father, Darryl, who founded the studio, as executive Vice President in charge of prodution, but was later fired by the elder Zanuck when the studio began to flounder under his rein when the big-budget movie musical era died. In 1971 he joined Warner Bros. as Executive Vice President and later formed The Zanuck/Brown Company with David Brown at Universal Pictures. They produced two of Steven Spielberg's early films, 'The Sugarland Express' (1974) and 'Jaws' (1975) as well as such box office hits as 'Cocoon' (1985) and 'Driving Miss Daisy' (1989) for which he won an Oscar for. He collaborated with director Tim Burton six times, producing 'Planet of the Apes' (2001), 'Big Fish' (2003), 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (2005), 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' (2007), 'Alice in Wonderland' (2010) and 'Dark Shadows' (2012). In 1998, he and his third wife Lili Fini, co-produced the 72nd Academy Awards ceremony. Zanuck, who was awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1990, died of a heart attack at his home in Beverly Hills.
Producer, Studio Executive. Zanuck graduated from Stanford University and served in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of lieutenant. Upon his discharge, he went to work at 20th Century Fox as a story and production assistant, working on such films as 'Island in the Sun' (1957) and 'The Sun Also Rises' (1957) and at the age of 24, produced his first film, 'Compulsion' (1959). In 1962, he became the youngest production chief in Hollywood when he was appointed by his father, Darryl, who founded the studio, as executive Vice President in charge of prodution, but was later fired by the elder Zanuck when the studio began to flounder under his rein when the big-budget movie musical era died. In 1971 he joined Warner Bros. as Executive Vice President and later formed The Zanuck/Brown Company with David Brown at Universal Pictures. They produced two of Steven Spielberg's early films, 'The Sugarland Express' (1974) and 'Jaws' (1975) as well as such box office hits as 'Cocoon' (1985) and 'Driving Miss Daisy' (1989) for which he won an Oscar for. He collaborated with director Tim Burton six times, producing 'Planet of the Apes' (2001), 'Big Fish' (2003), 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (2005), 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' (2007), 'Alice in Wonderland' (2010) and 'Dark Shadows' (2012). In 1998, he and his third wife Lili Fini, co-produced the 72nd Academy Awards ceremony. Zanuck, who was awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1990, died of a heart attack at his home in Beverly Hills.
Bio by: Louis du Mort
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