Joe Wizan
Joe Wizan | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 7, 1935 |
| Died | March 21, 2011 (aged 76) United States |
| Occupations | Film producer, studio executive |
Joe Wizan (January 7, 1935 – March 21, 2011) was an American film producer and studio executive. He was head of 20th Century Fox's motion picture division from 1983 to 1984. His credits as a producer or executive producer include Jeremiah Johnson, Junior Bonner, The Last American Hero, Audrey Rose, Along Came a Spider and Dark Night of the Scarecrow. Wizan died on March 21, 2011, at an assisted-living facility in Westlake Village, California. He was 76.[1]
The company started its own production company in 1970.[1] He joined CBS Theatrical Films in 1981, and left in 1982.[2] He then joined 20th Century Fox to replace Sherry Lansing in 1983.[3] After leaving as president of 20th Century Fox Productions in July 1984, he resumed his independent producer status at the studio and Lawrence Gordon had replaced him.[4][5]
In the early 1970s Wizan attempted to make Lloyd Williams and His Brother, the first script by Walter Hill.[6]
In 1987, Joe Wizan Productions decided to invest in a $5 million Canadian investment firm for the total financing of his company's projects over the U.S., and merged his company Sterobcar Productions, with a Canadian investment firm Black Pearl Resources, in order to start out a new company Wizan Film Properties, and that Brian Findlay would be a principal of the firm, which lined up Canadian principals in the new fund, and instead of going hat-in-hand to studios, Wizan is planning on to develop screenplays in close collaborations with writers, and to flesh out packages with stars and majors before shopping the properties to the majors.[7]
Todd Black, who worked at Wizan's production company, later became production partner and eventually transformed Joe Wizan Productions into Wizan/Black Films.[8][1] Jason Blumenthal, who was the future co-founder of Escape Artists, worked for the company while Blumenthal met Black in 1990, before Wizan and Black broke up in 1993.[9][10] In 1993, Wizan and Black broke their relationship, restoring to the previous Joe Wizan Productions name.[11] After Wizan broke up with Black, the company then partnered with Don Schneider, eventually renaming it to Phase 1 Productions.[12] The company made hits with Kiss the Girls, and eventually the final film, Along Came a Spider.[13]
Filmography
He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
Film
| Year | Film | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Jeremiah Johnson | ||
| Prime Cut | |||
| Junior Bonner | |||
| 1973 | The Last American Hero | Executive producer | |
| 1974 | 99 and 44/100% Dead | ||
| 1977 | Audrey Rose | ||
| 1979 | Voices | ||
| ...And Justice for All | Executive producer | ||
| 1982 | Best Friends | Executive producer | |
| 1983 | Two of a Kind | ||
| 1984 | Unfaithfully Yours | ||
| 1986 | Iron Eagle | ||
| Tough Guys | |||
| 1988 | Split Decisions | ||
| Spellbinder | |||
| 1990 | The Guardian | ||
| Short Time | Executive producer | ||
| 1991 | Becoming Colette | Executive producer | |
| 1992 | Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot | Executive producer | |
| Class Act | Executive producer | ||
| 1993 | Fire in the Sky | ||
| Wrestling Ernest Hemingway | |||
| 1996 | Dunston Checks In | ||
| 1997 | Kiss the Girls | ||
| 2001 | Along Came a Spider | Final film as a producer |
- Miscellaneous crew
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | ...And Justice for All | Presenter |
| 1981 | Hard Feelings | |
| 1988 | Iron Eagle II |
- Thanks
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Natural Enemies | Special thanks |
| 2011 | Under the Bridge | Dedicatee |
Television
| Year | Title | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1981 | Dark Night of the Scarecrow | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1985 | Silent Witness | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1986 | Sunday Drive | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1990 | El Diablo | Television film | |
| 1991 | Perfect Harmony | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1993 | Official Denial | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1999 | Sealed with a Kiss | Television film |
- As an actor
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | The Preppie Murder | Mr. Maitland | Television film |
References
- 1 2 3 Dennis McLellan (25 March 2011). "Joe Wizan dies at 76; former 20th Century Fox executive, independent producer". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Curran, Trisha (1981-06-28). "CBS WANTS TO STAR IN THE MOVIES--AS ONE OF THE MAJOR FILM PRODUCERS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- ↑ Harmetz, Aljean (1983-01-14). "FOX CHOOSES NEW PRODUCTION CHIEF". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- ↑ "Day-by-Day News Summary, Oct. '83-Sept. '84". Daily Variety. October 30, 1984. p. 136.
- ↑ Harmetz, Aljean (1984-07-10). "PRODUCTION PRESIDENT RESIGNS AT FOX STUDIOS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- ↑ Vagg, Stephen (20 May 2025). "Great Unfilmed Screenplays: Walter Hill's Lloyd Williams and his Brother". Filmink. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ "Indie Producer Joe Wizan Pacts With Vancouver Investment Firm". Variety. 1987-04-22. p. 7.
- ↑ Kleid, Beth (1991-09-04). "MOVIES - Sept. 4, 1991". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ Cox, Dan (1998-06-15). "Black and Blu inks at Sony". Variety. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ "Jason Blumenthal". Escape Artists. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- ↑ Eller, Claudia (1993-05-04). "Burton's off 'Reilly'". Variety. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ Archerd, Army (1995-05-12). "'Dunston Checks In' to Bullock's Wilshire". Variety. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ Brodesser, Claude; Petrikin, Chris (1999-09-21). "Tamahori, Par spin to 'Spider'". Variety. Retrieved 2026-08-07.