Cameron Mackintosh
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
One of the most prominent and important theatrical producers to emerge in the late Twentieth Century, Cameron Mackintosh was able to realize his childhood dream. At the age of eight, he was taken to see his first stage musical "Salad Days" and was so enchanted he decided then and there he would grow up to produce similar entertainments. After dropping out of London's Central School of Speech and Drama, Mackintosh landed his first professional job as a chorus member and assistant stage manager for a touring company of "Oliver!" in 1965. Within four years, however, he had achieved his goal and produced an ill-fated revival of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes." Undaunted, Mackintosh persevered and finally had an international success with the revue of Stephen Sondheim songs, "Side by Side by Sondheim" in 1976. After mounting a long-running revival of "Oliver!" (1977-80) and "My Fair Lady" (1979), he teamed with composer Andrew Lloyd Webber to present Lloyd Webber's "Cats" in London in 1981. The musical, adapted from poems by T S Eliot, has gone on to become the longest-running musical in Broadway history.
Mackintosh's streak continued in the 80s with such London and NYC successes as "little Shop of Horrors." He twice reteamed with Lloyd Webber for "Song and Dance" and "The Phantom of the Opera" and also forged alliances with the French team of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg ("Les Miserables," "Miss Saigon" and "Martin Guerre"). Where Mackintosh has had the greatest effect is in the marketing of his shows. Each has a distinctive logo that pops up on merchandise ranging from tee shirts to caps to coffee mugs. Additionally, he pioneered the superspectacle, big-budgeted musicals with flashy scenery and ensemble casts, cutting down on the reliance of a star to bring in the audience. Not that there have not been "name" performers in his casts; their presence, however, is not necessarily germane to the production. For television, Mackintosh mounted a 10-year anniversary concert of "Les Miserables" which was also released on video. In 1998. his 30-year career was saluted with "Hey, Mr. Producer!," a gala performed in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip that was taped for broadcast and aired in the USA on PBS stations.
Filmography
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Producer (Special)
Misc. Crew (Special)
Life Events
1954
Saw first stage musical "Salad Days"; decided then to be a producer
1965
Hired as stage manager for British touring production of "Oliver!"; also appeared in the chorus
1969
Made debut as producer with "Anything Goes" in London; production flopped and temporarily ended producing career
1972
Resumed career as producer with "Trelawney"
1976
Had first international success with the revue "Side by Side by Sondheim"; show first staged in London before transferring to Broadway
1977
Produced a successful London revival of "Oliver!" that ran for nearly three years
1980
Collaborated with Tom Lehrer on "Tomfoolery"
1981
Teamed with Andrew Lloyd Webber to co-produce "Cats" in London
1982
"Cats" produced on Broadway; in June 1997, became longest-running musical in Broadway history
1982
Co-produced the hit off-Broadway musical "Little Shop of Horrors"
1985
Served as producer of the stage musical "Les Misérables" with a musical score by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg; transferred to Broadway 1987
1986
With Lloyd Webber, co-produced "The Phantom of the Opera" in London; also co-produced the 1988 Broadway version
1989
Produced the Boublil-Schonberg musical "Miss Saigon"; also the 1991 Broadway version
1990
Established endowment at Oxford for a visiting professor of contemporary theatre; visiting fellows have included Stephen Sondheim and Sir Richard Attenborough
1993
Had another stage success with revival of "Carousel"; staged in NYC 1994
1994
Produced another successful revival of "Oliver!"
1995
Served as one of the producers of "Les Misérables in Concert," a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the show; filmed as a video and broadcast in U.S. on PBS
1996
Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the theater
1996
Produced the first version of Boublil-Schonberg's "Martin Guerre"; show has twice been revised
1998
Subject of a one-night tribute "Hey, Mr. Producer!"; filmed for broadcast and shown on PBS in U.S.
1998
Returned to Broadway as presenter of Matthew Bourne's version of "Swan Lake"
1999
Closed Australian branch of his operation
2000
Produced televised Sondheim tribute "Putting It Together"
2010
Staged West End revival of the musical "Hair" in London's Gielgud Theatre
2010
Produced "Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary" at London's O2 Arena; aired on PBS in U.S.
2012
Co-produced feature adaptation of popular musical drama "Les Misérables," directed by Tom Hooper; all-star cast included Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, and Russell Crowe
Family
Companions
