Roger Birnbaum Biography

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ROGER BIRNBAUM (Executive Producer) founded the production and finance company, Spyglass Entertainment, with partner Gary Barber, where they share the title of Co-Chairman and CEO. The company develops and finances all of its projects independently.

The company's box office hits range from “The Sixth Sense” with Bruce Willis, which earned $661 million in worldwide box-office, to the box office smash “Bruce Almighty” starring Jim Carrey, which earned $485 million. Also included in the Spyglass library are Oscar-nominated favorites such as “Seabiscuit,” with Tobey Maguire, and the “Insider,” with Russell Crowe and Al Pacino.

In total, Spyglass has cumed over 20 Oscar nominations, including seven nods each for “Seabiscuit” and “The Insider,” while garnering six nominations for “The Sixth Sense.” Other company successes include “The Count of Monte Cristo” with Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce, ”Keeping the Faith” with Ben Stiller and Edward Norton, the dual hits “Shanghai Noon” and its sequel “Shanghai Knights” with Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson, and “The Recruit” with Al Pacino and Colin Farrell.

Spyglass had consecutive hits in the first part of 2005 with the release of “The Pacifier” and “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.” “The Pacifier,” a family comedy starring Vin Diesel, crossed the $100 million mark within four weeks of its U.S. debut, while “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,” an adaptation to the Douglas Adams' best seller, was number one at the box office its opening weekend with a stellar 21.1 million dollar gross in the U.S., as well as number one openings in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.

Most recently, Spyglass co-financed and executive produced “Memoirs of a Geisha,” the adaptation of the best-selling novel directed by Rob Marshall (“Chicago”) and “The Legend of Zorro,” the sequel to “The Mask of Zorro,” the 1998 smash hit with Catherine Zeta-Jones, Antonio Banderas, and director Martin Campbell. Both films released in the fourth quarter of 2005.

This year Spyglass produced and financed “The Invisible,” a psychological thriller helmed by acclaimed writer turned director David Goyer which wrapped recently. Spyglass is also in pre-production on the live-action feature of the beloved classic cartoon series, “Underdog” with Walt Disney Pictures, as well as the drama “The Lookout” with Oscar®-nominated writer Scott Frank directing.

Spyglass recently created Spyglass Entertainment Television. Spyglass has produced “Miracles,” a series that aired on ABC, starring Skeet Ulrich and Angus MacFadyen, and is currently developing several new pilots.

Prior to founding Spyglass Entertainment, Mr. Birnbaum, co-founded Caravan Pictures, where he was responsible for such box office hits as “Rush Hour,” “Six Days/Seven Nights,” “Inspector Gadget,” “Gross Pointe Blank,” “The Three Musketeers,” “Angels In The Outfield,” and “While You Were Sleeping.”

Before joining Caravan, Mr. Birnbaum held the title of President of Worldwide Production and Executive Vice President of Twentieth Century Fox, where he developed such films as “Home Alone,” “Sleeping With The Enemy,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Hot Shots,” “My Cousin Vinny,” “The Last Of The Mohicans,” “Die Hard 2” and “Mrs. Doubtfire,” among others. Prior to that, Mr. Birnbaum was President of Production for United Artists where he developed the Oscar winning film and all-time cinema favorite “Rain Man.”

Earlier in his career, he produced “The Sure Thing,” directed by Rob Reiner and “Young Sherlock Holmes,” which were presented in association with Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment. For television, he executive produced the telefilms “Scandal Sheet,” “Happily Ever After,” “When Your Lover Leaves” and the award winning “All The Kids Do It.”

Born in Teaneck, New Jersey and educated at the University of Denver, Mr. Birnbaum built a successful career as Vice President of A&M Records and Arista Records before entering the film business to produce motion pictures.

He is currently Co-Artistic Director of the AFI conservatory, and serves on the Advisory Board for UCSB at the Center for Film, Television, and New Media. He is also a mentor to the USC Peter Stark Producing Program, as well as the UCLA Graduate Film program.