Ted Field

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Ted Field
Ted Field discussing filmmaking at New York Film Academy
Born
Frederick Woodruff Field

(1953-06-01) June 1, 1953 (age 70)
Alma materPomona College[1]
Known forInterscope Communications
Radar Pictures
Spouse(s)Judy Field (first marriage)
Barbara Field (second marriage)
Susan Bari Bollman Field (third marriage)
Children8
Parent(s)Marshall Field IV
Katherine Woodruff Field (later Fanning)

Frederick Woodruff "Ted" Field (born June 1, 1953[2]) is an American media mogul, record executive, entrepreneur and film producer.

He founded Interscope Communications to develop and produce films in 1982, and produced his first hit, Revenge of the Nerds, the same year. Seven years later, he co-founded Interscope Records with Jimmy Iovine in 1989.

He is an heir of the Marshall Field family.[1]

Early life

Field was born on June 1, 1953, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Marshall Field IV, who owned the Chicago Sun-Times from 1956 to 1965, and Katherine Woodruff Fanning, who was later an editor of several newspapers.[3]

Field's parents divorced when he was young. Field's mother then married Larry Fanning, who became Field's stepfather. Field, his sisters, his mother and his stepfather moved to Anchorage, Alaska. Field's mother and Larry Fanning purchased the Anchorage Daily News from founder Norman C. Brown in 1967. Larry Fanning died in 1971: Kay Fanning continued to operate the paper until 1979 when she sold it to The McClatchy Company. She remained as publisher until 1983.

Field attended Pomona College in Claremont, California,[1] graduating in 1979.[citation needed]

Career

Interscope Racing

Field's Interscope Racing started off entering Danny Ongais in Formula 5000 in 1975, graduating to USAC racing and the Indianapolis 500 in Parnelli chassis. Field also funded Ongais to make occasional Formula One outings in a Penske during the 1977 season.

Field also backed the construction in 1980 of an Interscope chassis designed by Roman Slobodynskyj for the Indianapolis 500. This was intended to take a turbocharged six-cylinder Porsche engine (similar to the one Ongais and Field were using in their Porsche 935) but a dispute with USAC over turbo boost meant the program was abandoned. The car was eventually fitted with a conventional Ford Cosworth DFX engine and entered in the 1981 500. Ongais led the race but crashed and was critically injured. In 1982 a recovered Ongais gave the car one last start at Indy but that too ended with an accident.

Interscope Communications

In 1982, Field founded Interscope Communications,[4] which produced more than 50 major films. In 1984, Field was a leader of a group that bought movie camera manufacturer Panavision. In 1987, Panavision was sold to Lee International.

In 1992, PolyGram bought a controlling interest in the film label.[5] In December 1998, Seagram acquired PolyGram,[6] merging its film division with Universal Pictures.[7] As a result, Interscope Communications, October Films and Gramercy Pictures were sold off to Barry Diller, who owned HSN, which in turn, had a major stake in USA Networks. In 1999, the three labels were merged to become USA Films.[8] In 2001, Universal Pictures bought USA from Diller[9] and in 2002, combined USA Films, Universal Focus and Good Machine Releasing to become Focus Features.[10][11]

Interscope Records

In 1989, he and record executive Jimmy Iovine co-founded Interscope Records. The label sustained a distribution deal with Atlantic Records, but in 1995, became a free agent following controversy surrounding Interscope's signage of gangster rappers including Suge Knight's Death Row Records.[12] The label was shortly bought by MCA Inc. for $200 million.[13] In 1996, following a sale to Seagram by Matsushita Electric (parent company of Panasonic), MCA was rebranded as Universal Pictures, and its MCA Music Entertainment faction was renamed Universal Music Group.[14] Then, in December 1998, Seagram acquired PolyGram and merged its music division of labels with Universal Music Group,[6][15] resulting in Interscope, on January 1, 1999, being merged into Geffen Records and A&M Records to become Interscope Geffen A&M Records.[16] He and Iovine were co-chairmen of IGA.

After leaving Interscope in February 2001,[17] he and Marc Geiger formed Artistdirect Records with the backing of BMG's RCA Records. The label folded in 2003.[18]

Radar Pictures

Since forming the company in late 2003, Field is currently chairman and CEO of Radar Pictures.

Field and Radar Pictures have faced legal action in years between 2007 and 2019 over allegations of fraudulent misconduct.[19][20][21][22] In December 2016, Field and his company assigned profits from then-upcoming Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017), to Filmula Entertainment, to satisfy a breach-of-contract over the unsuccessful reboot of Trauma Records.[23][24]

Personal life

From 1984 to 1998, he owned a mansion formerly owned by Howard B. Keck located at 1244 Moraga Drive in the gated community of Moraga Estates in Bel Air, California. From 1986 through 1993, Field owned the Harold Lloyd Estate (also known as Green Acres) in Beverly Hills, California.[25][26] Field is a tournament chess player who sponsored the 1990 World Chess Championship in NYC between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov. He is currently developing a movie about former world chess champion Magnus Carlsen[citation needed].

Racing record

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1979 United States Interscope Racing United States Milt Minter
United States John Morton
Porsche 935/79 IMSA
GTX
154 DNF DNF
1980 Germany Kremer Racing
Germany Team Malardeau
France Jean-Louis Lafosse
United States Danny Ongais
Porsche 935-K3/80 Gr.5
SP 2.0+
89 DNF DNF
1981 Germany Porsche Kremer Racing
United States Interscope Racing
United States Bill Whittington
United States Don Whittington
Porsche 935-K3/81 Gr.5
SP 2.0+
57 DNF DNF
1982 Germany Kremer Racing
United States Interscope Racing
United States Danny Ongais
United States Bill Whittington
Porsche Kremer C-K5 Gr.C 25 DNF DNF
Sources:[27][28]

Filmography (producer)

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film

Year Film Credit
1984 Revenge of the Nerds
1985 Turk 182
1987 Critical Condition
Outrageous Fortune
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
Three Men and a Baby
1988 The Seventh Sign
Cocktail
1989 Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure Executive producer
Collision Course
Renegades Executive producer
An Innocent Man
1990 The First Power Executive producer
Bird on a Wire Executive producer
Arachnophobia Co-executive producer
Three Men and a Little Lady
1991 Class Action
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey Executive producer
Paradise Executive producer
1992 The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Executive producer
The Cutting Edge
FernGully: The Last Rainforest Executive producer
Jersey Girl Executive producer
The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag Executive producer
Out on a Limb Executive producer
1994 The Air Up There
Terminal Velocity Executive producer
Imaginary Crimes Executive producer
1995 Roommates
Separate Lives Executive producer
Operation Dumbo Drop Executive producer
The Tie That Binds Executive producer
Two Much Executive producer
Jumanji Executive producer
Mr. Holland's Opus
1996 The Arrival Executive producer
Boys Executive producer
Kazaam Executive producer
The Associate Executive producer
1997 Gridlock'd Executive producer
1998 The Proposition
Very Bad Things Executive producer
What Dreams May Come Executive producer
1999 Runaway Bride
Teaching Mrs. Tingle Executive producer
2000 Pitch Black Executive producer
2002 They Executive producer
2003 How to Deal Executive producer
Le Divorce Executive producer
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Executive producer
The Last Samurai Executive producer
2004 The Chronicles of Riddick Executive producer
2005 The Amityville Horror Executive producer
Zathura: A Space Adventure Executive producer
2006 Waist Deep Executive producer
2007 The Heartbreak Kid
2008 Swing Vote Executive producer
2009 Horsemen Executive producer
All About Steve Executive producer
The Invention of Lying Executive producer
The Box Executive producer
Everybody's Fine
2010 Twelve
2012 Spring Breakers Executive producer
2013 Riddick
2014 Acid Girls Executive producer
2016 Kickboxer: Vengeance
2017 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Executive producer
2018 Beirut
2019 Jumanji: The Next Level Executive producer
Thanks
Year Film Role
1990 The Man Inside Special thanks
2001 Kissing Jessica Stein
2009 Veronika Decides to Die The production would like to thank

Television

Year Title Credit Notes
1986 American Geisha Executive producer Television film
1987 The Real Adventures of Sherlock Jones and Proctor Watson
Murder Ordained Executive producer Television film
The Father Clements Story Executive producer Television film
1988 Crossing the Mob Executive producer Television film
1989 My Boyfriend's Back Executive producer Television film
A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story Executive producer Television film
1990 The Secret Life of Archie's Wife Executive producer Television film
1993 Foreign Affairs Executive producer Television film
1995 Body Language Executive producer Television film
1997 Snow White: A Tale of Terror Executive producer Television film
2000 Into Pitch Black Co-executive producer Television special
2015 Winter Dragon Executive producer Television pilot
2017 Under the Bed Television film
2018 Lead
2021 The Wheel of Time Co-executive producer
Executive producer
TBD The Last Herald-Mage[29] Executive producer Adaptation Mercedes Lackey Novel Trilogy
As an actor
Year Title Role
1983 Saturday Supercade Tex Toadwalker

See also

  • Madsen, Axel. The Marshall Fields: The Evolution of an American Business Dynasty. Wiley: 2002.

References

  1. ^ a b c Eller, Claudia (August 11, 1998). "Literary Producer Opens a New Chapter". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  2. ^ "Ted Field on 24 Heures en Piste". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  3. ^ Film Reference
  4. ^ Geraldine Fabrikant (August 11, 1992). "Polygram to Buy 51% Stake in Interscope's Film Division – New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  5. ^ Fabrikant, Geraldine (August 11, 1992). "Polygram to Buy 51% Stake in Interscope's Film Division". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Seagrams completes PolyGram acquisition - Dec. 10, 1998". money.cnn.com. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  7. ^ "Polygram Folded into Universal | The Irish Film & Television Network". www.iftn.ie. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  8. ^ "Barry Diller". Forbes. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  9. ^ Staff Reports; Verrier, Richard; Hofmeister |, Sallie (December 17, 2001). "UNIVERSAL'S OWNER, USA NETWORKS OK DEAL". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  10. ^ Nelson, Kevin (March 14, 2022). "A Deeper Cinematic Focus: 20 Years of Focus Features". The Script Lab. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  11. ^ "Interscope Communications". Audiovisual Identity Database. October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  12. ^ Landler, Mark (September 28, 1995). "Time Warner to Sell Stake in Rap Label". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  13. ^ Fabrikant, Geraldine (February 22, 1996). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS;MCA Agrees to Buy Stake In Interscope Record Label". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  14. ^ Busch, Anita M. (December 10, 1996). "A whole new U for MCA". Variety. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  15. ^ Philips, Chuck (December 10, 1998). "Merger Puts Seagram at Top of Music Charts". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  16. ^ Strauss, Neil (December 21, 1998). "A Major Merger Shakes Up the World of Rock". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  17. ^ Pollack, Marc. "TED FIELD LEAVES INTERSCOPE". HITS Daily Double. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  18. ^ Oppelaar, Justin (May 8, 2003). "ArtistDirect delisted". Variety. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  19. ^ Gardner, Eriq (January 11, 2017). "Movie Mogul Ted Field Set to Stand Trial for Fraud". The Hollywood Reporter.
  20. ^ Baccellieri, Emma (March 25, 2017). "The NHL's Weird Superhero Project Is Still Finding Ways To Fail". Deadspin. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  21. ^ Gardner, Eric (March 27, 2017). "Hollywood Docket: Prince's Tidal Deal; Bob Marley Film Lawsuit; CBS Radio Win". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  22. ^ Maddaus, Gene (March 24, 2017). "Failed NHL Superhero Franchise Leads to $500,000 Judgment Against Producer". Variety. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  23. ^ Patten, Dominic (January 6, 2017). "'Jumanji' EP Ordered To Pay Fees From Film To Creditor To Settle $2M Debt". Deadline Hollywood.
  24. ^ Gardner, Eriq (January 18, 2018). "How the New 'Jumanji' Saved a Broke "Billionaire"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  25. ^ Ryon, Ruth (November 2, 1986) "Harold Lloyd Mansion for Sale Again?". Los Angeles Times.
  26. ^ Los Angeles, August 1998, p. 38 Los Angeles (magazine)
  27. ^ "Ted Field". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  28. ^ "Ted Field Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  29. ^ White, Peter (August 3, 2021). "'Valdemar Universe' Fantasy Book Series In The Works For TV From Kit Williamson, Brittany Cavallaro & Radar Pictures". Deadline. Retrieved January 4, 2022.

External links