Brian Robbins | |
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Born | Brian Levine November 22, 1963 New York City, U.S. |
Occupations |
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Years active | 1982–present |
Spouses | Laura Cathcart (div. 2013)Tracy James (m. 2014) |
Children | 3 |
Father | Floyd Levine |
Brian Robbins (born Brian Levine, November 22, 1963) is an American businessman, producer, director, actor, and the current co-CEO of Paramount Global. He has been the president of Nickelodeon and president and CEO of Paramount Pictures since 2018 and 2021, respectively. He was named the co-CEO of Paramount Global in April 2024. [1]
Robbins was born on November 22, 1963 in New York City and raised in the Marine Park, Brooklyn neighborhood. His father is the actor Floyd Levine. [2] When he was 16, he moved with his family to Los Angeles. [3] He graduated from Grant High School in 1982. [4]
Following his father into acting, [2] Robbins made his television debut on an episode of Trapper John, M.D. [4] He guest starred on a number of television series and had a recurring role on General Hospital . [4] As an actor, he is perhaps best known for his role as Eric Mardian on the ABC sitcom Head of the Class . [4] He also hosted the children's version of the TV game show Pictionary in 1989. In the 1990s, Robbins started producing the show All That and its spin-offs on Nickelodeon. [2] He has produced several sports films including Coach Carter and Hardball (2001). He produced Smallville and also One Tree Hill . He has often collaborated with producer Michael Tollin. [2]
Robbins is the founder of AwesomenessTV, a YouTube channel aimed at teenagers. The channel spun off into a TV series, on which Robbins served as executive producer. [5] DreamWorks Animation acquired the company in 2013. [6] On February 22, 2017, following NBCUniversal/Comcast's acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, Robbins stepped down as AwesomenessTV's CEO, ending his five-year run with the company. [7]
Robbins first joined Paramount in 2017 as the first president of Paramount Players, after which he became president of Nickelodeon in 2018, and then president of Kids & Family Entertainment, for ViacomCBS (now Paramount). [8] On October 1, 2018, he left his position as the president of Paramount Players after Viacom chose him to be the president of Nickelodeon, ending his 16-month run at the studio. [9] Despite leaving the studio, he remained involved with Paramount Players division Nickelodeon Movies. [10]
Robbins became head of Paramount Pictures in September 2021. [11] [12] During his tenure, Robbins has overseen releases that have garnered more than $5 billion in global box office. [13]
As President and CEO of Paramount Pictures, Brian Robbins has focused on securing production deals with prominent filmmakers and revitalizing franchises such as Transformers , Sonic the Hedgehog , Mission: Impossible , A Quiet Place , Scream , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles , and PAW Patrol . [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] These partnerships have contributed to Paramount Pictures' $5 billion-plus global box office revenue, with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol alone generating $2.5 billion in consumer products revenue in 2023. [19]
Robbins has been recognized for his strategic approach to theatrical release windows relative to streaming. [13] He shifted the release strategy of Smile and Mean Girls from streaming to theatrical, with Smile becoming the top-grossing original horror film of 2022, earning $217 million worldwide and becoming the studio's third most profitable film in a decade. [20] Mean Girls grossed $107 million globally and led the domestic box office for three consecutive weeks. [21] Robbins has also strengthened Paramount Animation and Paramount's consumer products division through the success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol. Robbins has emphasized allowing intellectual property-driven properties to drive other lines of business, particularly consumer products. [19]
On April 29, 2024, Robbins, along with George Cheeks and Chris McCarthy, became co-CEOs after Bob Bakish stepped down from his role. [22]
Robbins is a board member of the Motion Picture Association; a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; sits on the board of trustees for the AFI and is the recipient of a Directors Guild Award, a Peabody Award, and the Pioneer Prize from the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. [23]
He married publicist Laura Cathcart and they had two sons together before divorcing in 2013. He married stylist Tracy James in 2014. [24] They have a daughter, and live with his sons in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. [24] [25]
Year | Title | Director | Producer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | The Show | Yes | Yes | Documentary film |
1997 | Good Burger | Yes | Yes | |
1999 | Varsity Blues | Yes | Yes | |
2000 | Ready to Rumble | Yes | No | |
2001 | Hardball | Yes | Yes | |
2004 | The Perfect Score | Yes | Yes | |
2006 | The Shaggy Dog | Yes | No | |
2007 | Norbit | Yes | Executive | Nominated- Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director |
2008 | Meet Dave | Yes | No | |
2012 | A Thousand Words | Yes | Yes | Filmed in 2008 |
Producer only
Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer | Writer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | Head of the Class | No | No | Yes | Episode "Will the Real Arvid Engen Please Stand Up?" |
1994 | All That | No | Yes | Yes | Also creator |
1996 | Kenan & Kel | Yes | Yes | No | 5 episodes |
1998-2001 | Cousin Skeeter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also creator; Wrote "A Family Thing", directed "Skeeter's Toy Story" |
1999 | Popular | Yes | No | No | Episode "The Phantom Menace" |
2001 | The Nightmare Room | Yes | Yes | No | Episode "Four Eyes" |
2002 | Birds of Prey | Yes | Yes | No | Episode "Pilot" |
2005 | All That 10th Anniversary Reunion Special | No | No | Yes | TV special |
2010 | Blue Mountain State | Yes | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
2011 | Supah Ninjas | Yes | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
Executive producer only
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | Harper Valley PTA | Charlie's Nephew | Episode "The Return of Charlie's Chow Palace" |
Archie Bunker's Place | Danny Ferguson | Episode "Double Date" | |
The Facts of Life | Ben | Episode "For the Asking" | |
Taxi [26] | Young Man | Episode "Alex the Gofer" | |
1983 | Teachers Only | Vinnie Minetti | Episodes "Praise the Lord and Pasta Ammunition" & "Rex, the Wonder Husband" |
Three's Company | Mark Furley | Episode "Janet's Little Helper" | |
Knight Rider | Randy Merritt | Episode "Soul Survivor" | |
1984 | Diff'rent Strokes | Skyhigh | Episode "Undercover Lover" |
Newhart | Rob | Episode "The Fan" | |
1985 | Charles in Charge | Todd Baldwin | Episode "Mr. President" |
Growing Pains | Mitch | Episode "Dirt Bike" | |
1986 | The Gladiator | Jeff Benton | TV movie |
Mr. Belvedere | Eric | Episode "The Dropout" | |
1986–1991 | Head of the Class | Eric Mardian | 114 episodes |
1987 | Kids Incorporated | Brian | Episode "Win a Date with Renee" |
1988 | Cellar Dweller | Phillip Lemley | |
1989 | C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. | Steve Williams | |
1990 | Camp Cucamonga | Roger Berg | TV movie |
1992 | Full House | David Janolari | Episodes "Captain Video: Part 1" and "Captain Video: Part 2" |
1997 | Kenan & Kel | Risotto | Episode "Safe and Sorry" |
Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | Heartland Film Festival | Won | Crystal Heart Award | Hardwood Dreams (shared with Mike Tollin) |
1995 | Emmy Award | Nominated | Outstanding Informational Special | Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream (shared with Debra Martin Chase, Fredric Golding, Dorian Harewood, David Houle, Tom McMahon, Pat Mitchell, Jack Myers, Vivian Schiller, Mike Tollin, Denzel Washington) |
1996 | CableACE Award | Won | Children's Special - 7 and Older | Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal (shared with Leonard Armato, Bruce Binkow, Robert Mickelson, Shaquille O'Neal, Mike Tollin, For the special "4 Points") |
1997 | Directors Guild of America Award | Nominated | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs | Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal(for the special "4 Points") |
1998 | Won | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs | Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal(shared with W. Alexander Ellis, Cynthia Riddle, Brad Uecker: for episode "First Time") | |
2005 | Black Movie Awards | Nominated | Outstanding Motion Picture | Coach Carter (shared with David Gale, Mike Tollin) |
2016 | Emmy Award | Nominated | Outstanding Children's Series | Project Mc²: Season 1 |
The second phase of Viacom Inc., was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate with interests primarily in film and television. It was established on December 31, 2005, as one of two companies which succeeded the original Viacom, alongside the second CBS Corporation. The controlling shareholder of both companies was National Amusements, a theater company headed by businessman Sumner Redstone. The split was structured so that the original Viacom changed its name to CBS Corporation and spun out its cable and film interests as a new Viacom.
Nicktoons is a collective name used by Nickelodeon for their original animated series. All Nicktoons are produced partly at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio and list Nickelodeon's parent company in their copyright bylines.
Nickelodeon Movies Inc. is an American film production company based in Los Angeles, California and owned by Paramount Global. Originally founded in 1995, it serves as both the film production arm of the American children's network Nickelodeon and the family film distribution label of Paramount Pictures, operating under its Paramount Players division.
Nickelodeon Animation Studio, is an American animation studio owned by Paramount Global through the Nickelodeon Group. It has created many original animated television programs for Nickelodeon, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents, Rugrats, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and The Loud House, among various others. Since the 2010s, the studio has also produced its own series based on preexisting IP purchased by Paramount Global, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Winx Club. In November 2019, Nickelodeon Animation Studio signed a multiple-year output deal for Netflix, which will include producing content, in both new and preexisting IP, for the streaming platform.
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James N. Gianopulos is an American businessman. He served as chairman and CEO of 20th Century Fox and Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures until his departure in September 2021.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a superhero team created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, have appeared in seven theatrical feature-length films since their debut. The first film was released in 1990, at the height of the franchise's popularity. Despite mixed reviews from critics, it was a commercial success that garnered two direct sequels, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze in 1991 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III in 1993, both of which were modest successes. An animated film titled TMNT was released in 2007.
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Awesomeness, formerly and best known as AwesomenessTV, is an American digital media and entertainment network company owned by Viacom Digital Studios, a division of Paramount Global. Established in July 2012 by Brian Robbins and Joe Davola, the company operated a network initially focused on children’s programs, teen dramas, comedies, live events and music videos targeting adolescents and young adults.
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Nickelodeon Group, also known as Nickelodeon Networks Inc., is an American children's entertainment company owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks division that oversees cable television channels, its in-house animation studio, and Paws, Inc.