Burt Sugarman Explained

Burt Sugarman
Birth Name:Burton Roy Sugarman
Birth Date:4 January 1939
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation:Film and television producer, businessman- founder of Burt Sugarman Productions, part company owner of Barris Industries
Spouse:
    Children:2

    Burton Roy Sugarman (born January 4, 1939) is an American film and television producer[1] best known for creating and producing the iconic 1970s/early '80s variety series The Midnight Special, which served as a showcase for popular musical groups of the time.

    Sugarman also produced the 1970s game shows Celebrity Sweepstakes, Whew! and The Wizard of Odds, and the short-lived series The Richard Pryor Show. During 1979, Sugarman also owned shares in Old Tucson Corporation, which owned the Old Tucson and Old Vegas amusement parks in Arizona and Nevada.[2] [3] [4]

    In the 1980s, he produced the motion pictures Kiss Me Goodbye, Extremities and Children of a Lesser God. He was the executive producer of the film Crimes of the Heart in 1986 and television series The Newlywed Game 1988. He was also part owner of Barris Industries (later known as the Guber-Peters Entertainment Company) before it was sold to Sony in 1989. During the late 1980s, Burt Sugarman was a member of The Giant Group, which they had bought investments in media firms, like broadcasting firm Reeves Entertainment Group, and television broadcaster/cable system operator/newspaper owner Media General in 1987.[5] [6] [7]

    Personal life

    Sugarman married television personality and talk show host Mary Hart in 1989; they have one son.[8] He had previously been married to Pauline Schur and to the late actress Carol Wayne, and was engaged to actresses Ann-Margret and Myrna Hansen.

    Producer (as EP)

    YearTitle
    1969Dionne Warwick -Souled Out (TV Special)
    1970The Switched On Symphony (TV Special)
    1970Changing Scene (TV Special)
    1970Changing Scene II (TV Special)
    1971Changing Scene III (TV Special)
    1971Changing Scene IV (TV Special)
    1971Stand Up and Cheer (TV series) (EP-2 Episodes)
    1971The Manipulator
    1972The Jud Strunk Show (TV special)
    1973The Wizard of Odds (TV series)
    1973The Midnight Special (producer)
    1974Celebrity Sweepstakes (TV series; co-produced with Ralph Andrews Productions)
    1977The Richard Pryor Special? (TV Special)
    1977The Richard Pryor Show (TV series)
    1977Billboard No.1 Music Awards (TV series)
    1979–1980Whew! (TV series; co-produced with Jay Wolpert Productions; previously a Bud Austin production)
    1982Kiss Me Goodbye
    1986Extremeties
    1986Children of a Lesser God
    1986Crimes of the Heart (EP)
    1988The Newlywed Game (TV series)
    1990Mary Hart Presents Love in the Public Eye (TV Special)

    Himself

    YearTitle
    1974Rock Concert (TV series)
    1983The Last Fight
    1988The 2nd Annual American Comedy Awards (TV Special)
    2008–2010Entertainment Tonight (TV series)

    Notes and References

    1. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-01-fi-287-story.html Los Angeles Times
    2. Web site: Old Vegas Park Sale Planned . Henderson Home News . February 8, 1979 . October 16, 2019. 23.
    3. Web site: Stafford . Mary . Old Vegas to reopen in April as Westworld . Henderson Home News . March 20, 1979 . October 16, 2019. 1–2.
    4. Web site: Sugarman Sells Interest In Westworld . Henderson Home News . September 25, 1979 . October 16, 2019. 1–2.
    5. News: 16 July 1987 . Barris said it may raise its stake in Reeves . . live . December 5, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160822050021/http://articles.latimes.com/1987-07-16/business/fi-4382_1_giant-group . 22 August 2016.
    6. News: 1987-07-22 . Burt Sugarman Acquires 5.3% Stake In Reeves . 51 . Variety.
    7. News: 1987-10-28 . Sugarman Makes Unsolicited Bid To Acquire Media General Firm . 45 . Variety.
    8. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jan-03-gd-favhart3-story.html Los Angeles Times