Jon Peters

John H. Peters (born June 2, 1945)[1][2] is an American film producer and former hairdresser.

Jon Peters
Born
John H. Peters

(1945-06-02) June 2, 1945
OccupationFilm producer
Years active1976–present
Spouse(s)
  • Henrietta Zampitella
    (m. 1962; div. 1966)
  • (m. 1967; div. 1975)
  • Christine Forsyth
    (m. 1987; div. 1993)
  • Mindy Williamson
    (m. 2001; div. 2004)
  • (m. 2020; ann. 2020)
Partner(s)Barbra Streisand (1973–1982)
Children4; including Caleigh Peters

Early life

Peters was born in Van Nuys, California,[1] the son of Jack Peters, a cook who owned a Hollywood diner, and Helen (Pagano), who was a receptionist.[3] He is of Cherokee (father) and Italian (mother) descent.[4] His mother's family owned a renowned salon on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Jack Peters died when Jon was 10 years old and Helen later remarried.[5]

Career

As a child, Peters was recruited as an extra in Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 film The Ten Commandments as one of the Jews liberated by Moses. Peters was so enthralled by the experience that he refused to wash off his makeup when returning home.

Prior to becoming a producer, Peters first joined the family hairdressing business at Rodeo Drive where he made many film industry connections. He designed a short wig that Barbra Streisand wore for the comedy For Pete's Sake (1974); as a result, Peters and Streisand began a relationship. He later produced Streisand's studio album ButterFly (1974) and also gained a producing credit on Streisand's remake of A Star Is Born (1976), although the extent of his contribution has been disputed.[6] He also worked alongside Peter Guber for the next 10 years, with whom he headed Sony Pictures from 1989 until 1991.

Superman

In the early 1990s, Peters bought the film rights to the Superman franchise from Warner Bros. In his Q&A/comedy DVD An Evening With Kevin Smith, filmmaker Kevin Smith talked about working for Peters when he was hired to write a script for a new Superman film, which was then called Superman Reborn and later Superman Lives.[7] According to Smith, Peters had expressed disdain for most of Superman's iconic characteristics by demanding that Superman was never to fly[8] nor appear in his trademark costume.[8] He also suggested Sean Penn for the role based on his performance as a death row inmate in Dead Man Walking, which he said that Penn had the eyes of a "caged animal, a fucking killer." Peters then demanded that the third act of the film include a fight between Superman and a giant spider,[9] to be unveiled in an homage to King Kong. Peters later produced the 1999 steampunk western action comedy Wild Wild West, the finale of which featured a giant mechanical spider.[9]

Smith met Peters after completing a script, to which Peters instructed him to include a robot sidekick for Brainiac, a fight scene between Brainiac and two polar bears and a marketable "space dog" pet similar to the Star Wars character Chewbacca. Smith inserted them into his script, but then the project was abandoned and the script discarded.

In Look, Up in the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman, Peters admitted that the Superman franchise was problematic for him, stating: "The elements that I was focusing on were away from the heart, it was more leaning towards 'Star Wars' in a sense, you know. I didn't realize the human part of it, I didn't have that."

He subsequently produced Superman Returns, the 2006 Superman film directed by Bryan Singer, and executive-produced Man of Steel, the 2013 Superman film directed by Zack Snyder.[10] Peters was banned from the Man of Steel set by producer Christopher Nolan.[11]

The Sandman

Peters was a producer for a planned adaptation of the Sandman comics for Warner Bros., which met with controversy. One draft script commissioned by Peters was reviewed on the Internet at Ain't It Cool News,[12] and was met with scorn. Sandman creator Neil Gaiman called the last screenplay that Warner Bros. would send him "...not only the worst Sandman script I've ever seen, but quite easily the worst script I've ever read."[13] By 2001, the project had become stranded in development hell.

In a 2005 interview, Gaiman commented: "But Sandman movies, they just got increasingly appalling. It was really strange. They started out hiring some really good people and you got Elliott and Rossio and Roger Avary came in and did a draft. They were all solid scripts. And then Jon Peters fired all of them and got in some people who take orders, and who wanted fistfights and all this stuff. It had no sensibility and it was just...they were horrible."[14]

Proposed autobiography

Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood blog reported on a book proposal for the autobiography of Peters, written by himself and Los Angeles writer William Stadiem.[15] Peters reportedly intended to write about his life with Streisand and a string of other celebrity lovers. In 2009, he subsequently withdrew from the HarperCollins book deal after adverse publicity triggered by the leaking of the proposal and potential lawsuits.[16]

Sexual harassment lawsuit

In August 2011, a Los Angeles jury ordered Peters to pay a former assistant $3.3 million after finding she was subjected to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment during production of Superman Returns.[17][18] Since 2009, Peters has been credited for four projects: two for executive producing and two for producing.

Peters was credited as one of the producers of the 2018 film A Star Is Born, but did not receive certification from the Producers Guild of America to use the "p.g.a." designation after his credit. Director Bradley Cooper said that he had not known of the sexual harassment allegations against Peters, and Peters had not been present on the set of his film but received a producer credit because he controlled the rights to the 1976 film.[19]

Personal life

Peters' five marriages ended in divorce.[11] He first was married to Henrietta Zampitella, from 1962 to 1966.[20] Peters has a son, Christopher, with his second wife, actress Lesley Ann Warren, whom he married in 1967 and divorced in 1975[21] after a two-year separation.[22]

Following a high-profile personal and business relationship from 1973[22] to 1982 with singer-actress-filmmaker Barbra Streisand,[23] Peters married his third wife, producer Christine Forsyth Peters, in June 1987.[24] Following the couple's separation two months later, Christine Forsyth Peters adopted[24] daughters Caleigh Peters, who grew up to be a film-industry executive, and Skye Peters, who became a film producer.[25][26][27] Jon Peters did not file for divorce until 1993.[24] With fourth wife Mindy Williamson, whom he met in May 1994, married in 2001 and divorced in 2004 before resuming a relationship from 2006 to 2009,[28] he has daughter Kendyl Peters.[11]

Streisand is godmother to one or more of his daughters.[29][30]

On January 20, 2020, Peters married model-actress Pamela Anderson.[31][32] The marriage certificate was not filed and the couple separated after 12 days.[33][34]

Filmography

Producer unless otherwise noted.

Film

Executive producer

Producer

As an actor
Year Film Role Notes
1956The Ten CommandmentsBoy on Donkey Crossing Red Sea
Uncredited
Makeup department
Year Film Notes
1965Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini MachineHair stylist: Susan Hart
1974For Pete's SakeHair stylist: Barbra Streisand
Miscellaneous crew
Year Film Notes
2002The GuruHead chef
2006ForgivenessCaterer
Music department
Year Film Notes
1981The Pursuit of D. B. CooperExecutive producer: Soundtrack album
Thanks
Year Film Notes
1988High SpiritsSpecial thanks

Television

Year Title Credit Notes
1979Getting in Shape for the Main EventExecutive producerDocumentary
1984Television and the PresidencyExecutive producerDocumentary
The Toughest Man in the WorldExecutive producerTelevision film
Dreams
1985OceanquestExecutive producerDocumentary
1986Brotherhood of JusticeExecutive producerTelevision film
1987Bay CovenExecutive producerTelevision film
1988Nightmare at BittercreekExecutive producerTelevision film
Superman 50th AnniversaryExecutive producerDocumentary
1989Finish LineExecutive producerTelevision film
As an actor
Year Title Role
1961Shirley Temple's StorybookThe Ironmonger
Thanks
Year Title Role Notes
1995Fast TrackSpecial thanksTelevision film

Further reading

  • Griffin, Nancy; Masters, Kim (1996). Hit & Run: How Jon Peters and Peter Guber Took Sony for a Ride in Hollywood. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-684-80931-1.

References

  1. "John H. Peters". Sacramento, California: California Birth Index, Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services via Family Tree Legends. (subscription required)
  2. Day, Patrick Kevin (June 9, 2010). "Hollywood Star Walk: Jon Peters". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  3. "Jon Peters Biography (1945?-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
  4. Shah, Diane K. (October 22, 1989). "The Producers". The New York Times. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
  5. "Jon Peters biography" Yahoo Movies
  6. Barbra by Donald Zec and Anthony Fowles, chapter 17
  7. Kevin Smith talks about Superman on YouTube
  8. Rossen, Jake (2008). Superman Vs. Hollywood: How Fiendish Producers, Devious Directors, and Warring Writers Grounded an American Icon. Chicago Review Press. p. 217. ISBN 978-1-55652-731-9.
  9. Cronin, Brian (2009). Was Superman a Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed. Penguin Group. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-452-29532-2.
  10. Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel" teaser trailer with Jon Peters credited on YouTube
  11. ""I Am the Trump of Hollywood": The Reclusive and Outrageous Jon Peters Is Still Rich. Really Rich". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2017. ...his 18-year-old daughter Kendyl. ... '10 years ago when I went through my divorce [from Kendyl's mother, Mindy Williamson]'...
  12. Moriarty takes a look at what Jon Peters has done with Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN property!!! – Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news
  13. Comics2Film: Sandman Archived December 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  14. "Interview: Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon", Time, 2005
  15. "IT SHOULD BE CALLED 'DICKHEAD': Why Jon Peters' Book Proposal Sets New Low", Deadline Hollywood
  16. "PETERS PULLS PLUG ON TELL-ALL" Archived May 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, The New York Post, May 23, 2009
  17. Film producer ordered to pay $3 million in sex case
  18. Hollywood Docket: 'Superman' Producer Jon Peters Ordered To Pay $3.3 Mil in Sexual Harassment Trial
  19. Yang, Rachel (September 14, 2018). "Bradley Cooper Addresses 'A Star Is Born' Producer Jon Peters' Harassment Charges". Variety.com. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  20. Longeretta, Emily (February 20, 2020). "Jon Peters Is Engaged to Julia Bernheim 3 Weeks After Pamela Anderson Split". Us Weekly. Archived from the original on September 7, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  21. Buchalter, Gail (April 19, 1982). "The Real Victor in 'victor/ Victoria' Is a Newly Confident Lesley Ann Warren". People.
  22. Haber, Joyce (November 26, 1973) Jon, Barbra More Than Patron, Client Los Angeles Times
  23. Nast, Condé. "Jon Peters Is Scared to Tell "Love of My Life" Barbra Streisand He Voted for Trump". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  24. "Producer Jon Peters Wants Ex-Wife Evicted". Fox News. July 19, 2006. Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  25. Abcarian, Robin (January 8, 2007). "The Junior Mint". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 30, 2010. Retrieved September 30, 2019. Caleigh Peters, a gravelly voiced high school senior who is the daughter of producer Jon Peters. Caleigh, 18...
  26. "Producer Jon Peters' Family Shopping Reality Show (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 30, 2019. Retrieved September 30, 2019. ...daughters Skye Peters, 21, and Caleigh Peters, 23. ... ([T]heir mother is Christine Forsyth Peters, the ex-wife of Jon and a film producer in her own right, with credits like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days).
  27. "Skye Peters, Director, Producer, Los Angeles". Mandy.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  28. Cullins, Ashley (April 11, 2016). "'Superman' Producer Jon Peters Sued by Ex-Wife Over Film Profits". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  29. Smith, Liz (September 22, 2004). "Time to say your Friared!". Newsday. New York City / Long Island. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
  30. Shnayerson, Michael (November 1994). "Barbra Streisand" The Way She Is". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on February 16, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2019 via Barbra-Archives.com. ...her six-year-old goddaughter, Caleigh
  31. Siegel, Tatiana (January 21, 2020). "Pamela Anderson Marries Movie Mogul Jon Peters in Secret Malibu Ceremony". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 21, 2020.
  32. D'Zurilla, Christie (January 21, 2020). "Pamela Anderson gets married to fellow five-timer Jon Peters". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. The couple were married Monday in a private ceremony in Malibu. 'They love each other very much. It's a great Hollywood romance,' her publicist said in confirming the news Tuesday.
  33. Haas, Susan. "Newlyweds Pamela Anderson and Jon Peters call it quits after less than two weeks". USA Today. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  34. Anderson in Morin, Alyssa (February 1, 2020). "Pamela Anderson and Jon Peters Split 12 Days After Getting Married". E! News. Archived from the original on May 19, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2020. I have been moved by the warm reception to Jon and my union. We would be very grateful for your support as we take some time apart to re-evaluate what we want from life and from one another.

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