Mark Canton
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
Youthful studio executive who worked his way up from the proverbially mail room to executive production positions at Warner Bros. in the 1980s where he played a central role in the greenlighting of such socially and racially relevant films as "New Jack City" (1991) and Spike Lee's "Malcolm X" (1992). Noted for his ability to make rapid decisions and his creative relationships with such Hollywood talent as Barbra Streisand, Richard Donner, Tim Burton and James Brooks, Canton left his position as executive vice president of worldwide motion picture production at Warner Bros. in 1991 to join his former colleague, Sony Pictures Entertainment chief Peter Guber, as president of Columbia Pictures with an agenda to accelerate the number of projects. After nearly five years at the helm, Canton resigned from Columbia in September 1996.
Filmography
Producer (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1973
Became assistant to director-producer Franklin Schaffner on "Papillon"
1978
Joined MGM as vice president, motion picture development
1979
Became executive vice president, Jon Peters Organization
1980
Joined Warner Bros. as vice president of production
1983
Appointed senior vice president of production, Warner Bros.
1985
Promoted to president, worldwide theatrical production
1989
Appointed vice president, worldwide motion picture production, Warner Bros.
1991
Warner Bros. announced Canton would leave the company by mutual agreement (September)
1991
Appointed chairman of Columbia Pictures replacing Frank Price (October 4)
1996
Resigned as chairman of Columbia Pictures (September 13)
1997
Signed exclusive three-year production deal with Warner Bros.
1997
Formed The Canton Co., an independent production company
2002
Joined Artists Production Group (APG) as a partner; also served as chair and CEO
2014
Was the executive producer on "300: Rise of an Empire"
2014
Served as the executive producer on the Starz TV series "Power"
2015
Produced "The Last Witch Hunter"
Family
Companions
