Casey Silver
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
Former chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Pictures known for his savvy taste, talent relationships and abilitiy to shepherd projects, Casey Silver began his career in the motion picture industry as a screenwriter. After serving as assistant to director Adrian Lyne on "Flashdance" (1983), he became director of development and production for Simpson-Bruckheimer Productions, where he was instrumental in the development of the original "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984). Prior to joining Universal, he served for several years as TriStar Picture's vice president of production, and was then promoted to senior vice president of production.
In his role at Universal, Silver was responsible for all divisions of Universal Pictures, including its production, marketing and distribution operations. He supervised all activities worldwide concerning Universal's partnerships with United International and domestic distribution activities through its partnership with October Films. Additionally, Silver oversaw Universal Studios Home Video, Universal Pictures Animation and Visual Effects and Universal Family & Home Entertainment Production, which include Universal Cartoon Studios.
During his tenure at Universal, the studio developed, produced and released the critically acclaimed films "Schindler's List," "Shakespeare in Love," "Apollo 13," "Babe," "Jurassic Park," "Out of Sight," "Field of Dreams," "The Nutty Professor," "Twelve Monkeys," "In the Name of the Father," "Do the Right Thing," "Scent of a Woman," "Fried Green Tomatoes," "Cape Fear," "Born on the Fourth of July," "Parenthood," "Midnight Run," "The Mummy," "Notting Hill," "American Pie," "October Sky," "Erin Brockovich," and "Gladiator."
Ironically, it was the box office bomb "Meet Joe Black" (1998), a film directed by Silver's friend "Beverly Hills Cop" collaborator Martin Brest, that began the undoings of his tenure at Universal, as well as the critically praised but commercially underperforming sequel "Babe: Pig in the City" (1998). Upon his departure from the studio the executive started his own production shingle, Casey Silver Productions (originally known as Gone Fishin' Productions) in October 1999.
Unlike many former studio heads with sweetheart first-look deals with ex-employers who typically quash projects to validate their initial decision to part company, Silver managed to branch out and forge pacts outside of Universal and put several films into production and development elsewhere. The first project out of the gate, however, was the ill-fated, critically reviled bocx office bomb"Gigli" (2003) starring the then-overhyped coupling of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, and yet again helmed by Martin Brest. Teaming with the Walt Disney Studios, Silver fared much better with his company's second film, the near-epic "Hidalgo" (2004), about an American cowboy (Viggo Mortensen) competing in a legendary Middle Eastern horse race, which earned many favorable reviews and performed adequately at the box office. Next Silver produced his second film for Disney, the firefighter action-drama "Ladder 49" (2004) starring Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta.
Filmography
Producer (Feature Film)
Film Production - Main (Feature Film)
Special Thanks (Feature Film)
Life Events
1983
Served as assistant to director Adrian Lyne on "Flashdance"
1986
Served as chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Pictures; during his tenure the studio developed, produced and released the critically acclaimed films "Schindler¿s List," "Shakespeare in Love," and "Erin Brockovich" among others
1998
Resigned as chair of Universal Pictures after the box office bomb "Meet Joe Black" and the commercially underperforming sequel "Babe: Pig in the City"
1999
Formed Casey Silver Productions (originally known as Gone Fishin' Productions) with a first-look deal at Universal
2003
First indepantant project, was the ill-fated, critically reviled box office bomb "Gigli" starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez
2004
Teamed with Walt Disney Studios to produce the near-epic "Hidalgo" starring Viggo Mortensen and Omar Sharif
2004
Again teamed with Disney to produce the firefighter action-drama "Ladder 49" starring Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta
Family
Companions
