 |
Jon Peters | |
|---|---|
| Born | John H. Peters June 2, 1945 Van Nuys, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Film producer, hairdresser |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Spouses |
|
| Partner | Barbra Streisand (1973–1982) |
| Children | 4, including Caleigh |
John H. Peters (born June 2, 1945) is an American film producer and former hairdresser.
Peters was born on June 2, 1945, in Van Nuys, California. [1] Peters is of Cherokee (father) and Italian (mother) descent. [2] While growing up in a rough neighborhood, Peters's father died when he was eight years old and his mother later remarried; Peters was later expelled from school and sent to reform school for a year when he was 12. [2]
As a child, Peters was cast as an extra in Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 film The Ten Commandments . [3]
Prior to becoming a producer, Peters ran away from home at the age of 14 and moved to New York City, where he found work as a hairdresser [2] and took his first job of dyeing women's pubic hair. [3] Upon moving back to Los Angeles, he opened two salons and later took over his uncles' salon on Rodeo Drive, where he met Sue Mengers. [2] In the early 1970s, he learned about Jay Sebring's method of cutting hair from Sebring's protégé Jim Markham, whereupon he designed a short wig worn by Barbra Streisand in the 1974 comedy film For Pete's Sake ; [4] Peters and Streisand then began a romantic relationship. He produced both Streisand's studio album ButterFly (1974) and her remake of A Star Is Born (1976), after being introduced through and working with Mengers. [5] [ verification needed ] [2] Of Peters, Mengers said, "He's like trying to withstand a hurricane. If it weren't for Jon, I'd be 20 years younger." [2] For years, he worked with the Jon Peters Organization, and attempted to work with friends Peter Guber and Neil Bogart at a film division of Boardwalk Records, but in exchange for getting his profits on Caddyshack , he was forced to join PolyGram Pictures in 1980 and fired two years later to form The Guber-Peters Company. [6] [7]
Peters worked alongside Guber for the next 10 years; the duo headed Sony Pictures from 1989 until 1991. Peters eventually left Sony to start his own production company, Peters Entertainment, in 1991; the company initially had an exclusive three-year deal at Sony, but eventually went to a non-exclusive deal and added another non-exclusive deal at Warner Bros. in 1994. [8]
In the early 1990s, Peters bought the film rights to the Superman franchise from Warner Bros. In his Q&A/comedy DVD An Evening with Kevin Smith , filmmaker Kevin Smith talked about working for Peters when he was hired to write a script for a new Superman film, which was then called Superman Reborn and later Superman Lives . [9] According to Smith, Peters had expressed disdain for most of Superman's iconic characteristics by demanding that Superman never fly [10] nor appear in his trademark costume. [10] Smith said Peters also suggested Sean Penn for the role based on his performance as a death row inmate in Dead Man Walking , which he said that Penn had the eyes of a "caged animal, a fucking killer." Smith went on to say Peters also wanted the third act of the film to include a fight between Superman and a giant spider, [11] to be unveiled in a homage to King Kong . Peters later produced the 1999 film Wild Wild West , the finale of which featured a giant mechanical spider. [11] The story is further touched upon by both Smith and Peters in the documentary The Death of 'Superman Lives' .
Smith met Peters after completing a script and said Peters suggested he include a robot sidekick for Brainiac, a fight scene between Brainiac and polar bears and a marketable "space dog" pet similar to the Star Wars character Chewbacca. [9] In the documentary Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman , Peters admitted that the Superman franchise was problematic for him, stating: "The elements that I was focusing on were away from the heart, it was more leaning towards 'Star Wars' in a sense, you know. I didn't realize the human part of it, I didn't have that."[ citation needed ] Peters subsequently produced Superman Returns , the 2006 Superman film directed by Bryan Singer, and executive-produced Man of Steel , the 2013 Superman film directed by Zack Snyder. [12] Peters says that he was banned from the Man of Steel set by producer Christopher Nolan because "my reputation scares these guys". [3]
Peters was a producer for a planned adaptation of the Sandman comics for Warner Bros., which became stuck in development in 2001. [13] Sandman creator Neil Gaiman called the last screenplay for the film that Warner Bros. sent him "not only the worst Sandman script I've ever seen, but quite easily the worst script I've ever read." [14] In a 2005 interview regarding the film, Gaiman commented: "But Sandman movies, they just got increasingly appalling... They started out hiring some really good people... And then Jon Peters fired all of them and got in some people who take orders, and who wanted fistfights and all this stuff. It had no sensibility... they were horrible." [15] As with the production of Superman Lives and Wild Wild West, Peters attempted to include a "giant mechanical spider" in the script. Gaiman would go on to leak the maligned script in an attempt to sabotage its production. [16]
Peters submitted a book proposal for his autobiography, which was self-written alongside Los Angeles writer William Stadiem. In the proposal, he described himself as someone who "came from the lower depths to become THE MAN in Hollywood, a master of seduction, production and psychology," and said he "has seen it all and knows it all, without ever being a know-it-all." [17] Peters also reportedly intended to write about his sexual activities with Barbra Streisand, Sharon Stone and many other actresses. [17] In 2009, he subsequently withdrew from the HarperCollins book deal after adverse publicity triggered by the leaking of the proposal and potential lawsuits.[ citation needed ]
In August 2011, Los Angeles jurors ordered Peters to pay a former assistant $3.3 million after finding she was subjected to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment during production of Superman Returns . [18] [19] The 44-year old single mother also claimed that she was unable to obtain work after the incident because of Peters's influence in the industry. The claimant was awarded compensatory as well as punitive damages in the case. [18] Peters was credited as one of the producers of the 2018 film A Star Is Born , but did not receive certification from the Producers Guild of America to use the "p.g.a." designation after his credit. Director Bradley Cooper said he did not know of the sexual harassment allegations against Peters and that Peters was not present on the set of his film; he received a producer credit only because he controlled the rights to the 1976 film. [20]
Peters married four times, each ending in divorce. The marriage certificate on his fifth marriage was never filed. [21] Several of his marriages and relationships overlapped each other. Peters has four children from his marriages, the older three of whom are in the entertainment industry. [22] [23] [24]
Peters's first marriage was to Henrietta Zampitella when he was 16. They were married from April 1962 to November 1966. [25] [26]
In May 1967, [27] the year following his first divorce, Peters married actress Lesley Ann Warren, with whom he had his son Christopher. The couple divorced in 1975 [28] after a two-year separation. [29]
Barbra Streisand and Peters had a high-profile personal and business relationship from 1973 to 1982. [29] [30] Streisand went on to become godmother to his two daughters with Christine Forsyth. [31] [ better source needed ] [32]
Peters married his third wife, producer Christine Forsyth, in June 1987. [33] Sometime after the couple's separation two months later, Christine Forsyth adopted [33] daughters Skye and Caleigh Peters. [24] [34] [23] After this severance, Peters allowed Forsyth and the girls to continue living in his Bel-Air property. Peters did not file for divorce until 1993 and later filed a request for her to leave the Bel-Air estate in 2006. [33]
In 1994, Peters met Mindy Williamson, a breeder of Arabian horses, [35] [36] [37] who was to become his fourth wife in 2001. After their 2004 divorce, they reunited from 2006 to 2009. [38] Together, they have daughter Kendyl Peters. [3]
In 2020, he became briefly involved with Pamela Anderson. [39] [ better source needed ]
Peters reportedly became engaged to actress Julia Bernheim in February 2020. [40] The announcement was made three weeks after his split from Pamela Anderson. [40]
Producer unless otherwise noted.
Executive
Producer
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | The Ten Commandments | Boy on Donkey Crossing Red Sea | Uncredited |
| 1965 | Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine | Hair stylist: Susan Hart | |
| 1974 | For Pete's Sake | Hair stylist: Barbra Streisand | |
| 1981 | The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper | Executive producer: Soundtrack album | |
| 1988 | High Spirits | Special thanks | |
| 2002 | The Guru | Head chef | |
| 2006 | Forgiveness | Caterer |
| Year | Title | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Shirley Temple's Storybook | Actor: The Ironmonger | |
| 1979 | Getting in Shape for the Main Event | Executive producer | Documentary |
| 1984 | Television and the Presidency | Executive producer | Documentary |
| The Toughest Man in the World | Executive producer | Television film | |
| Dreams | |||
| 1985 | Oceanquest | Executive producer | Documentary |
| 1986 | Brotherhood of Justice | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1987 | Bay Coven | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1988 | Nightmare at Bittercreek | Executive producer | Television film |
| Superman 50th Anniversary | Executive producer | Documentary | |
| 1989 | Finish Line | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1995 | Fast Track | Special thanks | Television film |
It has been said, partly by Peters himself, that he was the inspiration for Warren Beatty's character in the Hal Ashby film Shampoo . [41] [42]
Peters is portrayed by Bradley Cooper in the 2021 Paul Thomas Anderson film, Licorice Pizza . [43]
Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre, and screenplays. His works include the comic book series The Sandman and the novels Good Omens, Stardust, Anansi Boys, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book. He co-created the TV series adaptations of Good Omens and The Sandman.
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the first performer awarded an EGOT.
The Sandman is a comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. Its artists include Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Jill Thompson, Shawn McManus, Marc Hempel, Bryan Talbot, and Michael Zulli, with lettering by Todd Klein and covers by Dave McKean. The original series ran for 75 issues from January 1989 to March 1996. Beginning with issue No. 47, it was placed under DC's Vertigo imprint, and following Vertigo's retirement in 2020, reprints have been published under DC's Black Label imprint.
The Way We Were is a 1973 American romantic drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. Arthur Laurents adapted the screenplay from his own 1972 novel of the same name, which was based on his college days at Cornell University and his experiences with the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Frank Romer Pierson was an American screenwriter and film director.
David Samuel Goyer is an American filmmaker, novelist and comic book writer. He is best known for writing the screenplays for several superhero films, including Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (1998), the Blade trilogy (1998–2004), Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy (2005–2012), Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). He has also directed four films: Zig Zag (2002), Blade: Trinity (2004), The Invisible (2007) and The Unborn (2009). He is the creator of the science fiction television series Foundation which is loosely based upon the Foundation series written by Isaac Asimov.
Howard Peter Guber is an American film producer, business executive, entrepreneur, educator, and author. He is chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment. Guber's most recent films from Mandalay Entertainment include Air, The Kids Are All Right, Soul Surfer and Bernie. He has also produced Rain Man, Batman, The Color Purple, Midnight Express, Gorillas in the Mist, The Witches of Eastwick, Missing, and Flashdance. Guber's films have grossed over $3 billion worldwide and received 50 Academy Award nominations.
David George Dirk Maggs is a British freelance writer and director. During his career as a Senior Producer in BBC Radio he made radio drama adopting a cinematic-sounding approach, combining filmic story construction, layered sound effects, orchestral music and digital recording technology. Maggs introduced productions in Dolby Surround in BBC Radio and termed the result, "Audio Movies".
Caleigh Anne Forsyth-Peters is a studio executive and former singer-songwriter. She was raised in Los Angeles and is the daughter of film producers Jon Peters and Christine Forsyth. She is the goddaughter of Barbara Streisand.
Eyes of Laura Mars is a 1978 American neo-noir supernatural horror thriller film directed by Irvin Kershner and starring Faye Dunaway, Tommy Lee Jones, Brad Dourif, René Auberjonois, and Raul Julia. It follows a New York City fashion photographer (Dunaway) who suddenly develops the clairvoyant ability to witness disturbing serial murders from the point of view of the killer. The screenplay was adapted from a spec script titled Eyes, written by John Carpenter; it was Carpenter's first major studio film. H. B. Gilmour later wrote a novelization.
The Main Event is a 1979 American sports romantic comedy film starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan O'Neal, written by Gail Parent, directed by Howard Zieff, and produced by Jon Peters and Streisand.
A Star Is Born is a 1976 American musical romantic drama film directed by Frank Pierson, written by Pierson, John Gregory Dunne, and Joan Didion. It stars Barbra Streisand as an unknown singer and Kris Kristofferson as an established rock and roll star. The two fall in love, only to find her career ascending while his goes into decline. A Star Is Born premiered at the Mann Village Theater on December 18, 1976, with a wide release by Warner Bros. the following day. A huge box office success, grossing $80 million on a $6 million budget in North America, the film became the 2nd highest-grossing that year. Reviews praised its performances and musical score, but criticized the screenplay and runtime. At the 49th Academy Awards, the film won Best Original Song for its love theme "Evergreen".
Kevin Burns was an American television and film producer, director, and screenwriter. His work can be seen on A&E, National Geographic Channel, E!, Animal Planet, AMC, Bravo, WE tv, Travel Channel, Lifetime, and The History Channel. Burns created and executive-produced more than 800 hours of television programming.
Superman (1977) is the nineteenth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand. The lead single "My Heart Belongs to Me" became a hit in 1977, peaking at #4 on the US pop chart. The title track was released as a follow-up but did not chart as highly as its predecessor. The album peaked at number 3 on the Top 200 LP Billboard album chart and on the UK Albums Chart at number 32. It has sold 2 million copies in United States and was certified 2× Platinum. Streisand co-wrote two songs on the album - "Don't Believe What You Read" and "Answer Me". The latter is also featured on her 2023 compilation album Evergreens: Celebrating Six Decades.
The Batman franchise, based on the fictional superhero Batman who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, has seen the release of various films. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the character first starred in two serial films in the 1940s, Batman and Batman and Robin. The character also appeared in the 1966 film Batman, which was a feature film adaptation of the 1960s television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, who also starred in the film. Toward the end of the 1980s, the Warner Bros. studio began producing a series of feature films starring Batman, beginning with 1989's Batman, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. Burton and Keaton returned for the 1992 sequel Batman Returns, and in 1995, Joel Schumacher directed Batman Forever, with Val Kilmer as Batman. Schumacher also directed the 1997 sequel Batman & Robin, which starred George Clooney. Batman & Robin was poorly received by both critics and fans, leading to the cancellation of a sequel titled Batman Unchained.
DC Comics's Superman franchise, based on the character of the same name created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in June 1938, has seen the release of various films since its inception. The character debuted in cinemas in a series of animated shorts beginning in 1941 and was the protagonist of two movie serials in 1948 and 1950. An independent studio, Lippert Pictures, released the first Superman feature film, Superman and the Mole Men, starring George Reeves, in 1951. In 1973, the film rights to the Superman character were purchased by Ilya Salkind, Alexander Salkind, and Pierre Spengler. After multiple scripts and several years in development, Richard Donner was hired as director, and he shot two films, Superman (1978), and Superman II (1980), at the same time, both starring Christopher Reeve. Donner had filmed 75 percent of Superman II before it was decided to finish shooting the first film. The Salkinds fired Donner after Superman's release and commissioned Richard Lester as the director to finish Superman II. Lester returned to direct Superman III (1983). The Salkinds also produced the spin-off Supergirl (1984). They then sold the rights to Cannon Films, which produced the poorly reviewed Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). Ilya Salkind commissioned a fifth Superman script before Warner Bros. acquired the rights in 1993.
Yentl is a 1983 American romantic musical drama film directed, co-written, co-produced by, and starring American entertainer Barbra Streisand. It is based on Isaac Bashevis Singer's short story "Yentl the Yeshiva Boy".
A Star Is Born is the soundtrack album to the 1976 musical film of the same name, performed by its stars Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. The album was very successful, holding the number-one spot on the US Billboard 200 chart for six weeks and eventually was certified 4× Platinum by the RIAA for more than four million units shipped and has sold a total of eight million copies worldwide.
The Sandman is an American fantasy drama television series based on the 1989–1996 comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. The series was developed by Gaiman, David S. Goyer, and Allan Heinberg for the streaming service Netflix and is produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. Like the comic, The Sandman tells the story of Dream / Morpheus, the titular Sandman. The series stars Tom Sturridge as the title character, with Boyd Holbrook, Vivienne Acheampong, and Patton Oswalt in supporting roles.
Caleigh Peters, a gravelly voiced high school senior who is the daughter of producer Jon Peters. Caleigh, 18...
...her six-year-old goddaughter, Caleigh
...daughters Skye Peters, 21, and Caleigh Peters, 23. ... ([T]heir mother is Christine Forsyth Peters, the ex-wife of Jon and a film producer in her own right, with credits like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days ).
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