Anthony Thomopoulos
Encyclopedia
Anthony D. Thomopoulos, is a well known in the motion picture and television industries for his innovation and achievements. Thomopoulos spent 12 years of his career at ABC
, moving progressively from Vice President of Prime Time Programs, to President of ABC Entertainment
, to President of ABC Broadcast Group.
's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
. But while at the Washington university, he got interested in business instead. His first job out of college was as a mail clerk at NBC's New York headquarters. He rose rapidly from there into senior marketing jobs.
Pictures and supervise such productions as: Rain Man
, Betrayed
, Child's Play, Baby Boom
, and James Bond XV. In 1989, Thomopoulos formed Thomopoulos Productions, an independent production company of both motion pictures and television programs.
From late 1991 to early 1995, he was President of Amblin Television, a division of Amblin Entertainment
. He was responsible for the original placement of NBC's highly acclaimed program ER
, in addition to several other successful series on network television.
In 1995, Thomopoulos joined International Family Entertainment, Inc. (IFE). His responsibilities included all aspects of programming for The Family Channel
. He was named CEO of MTM Entertainment, Inc., a subsidiary of IFE, and was also responsible for all aspects of MTM Television and MTM Distribution.
Thomopoulos was Chairman and CEO of Media Arts Group a NYSE company from June 2001 to January 2004. He is currently founder and partner in Morning Light Productions. Thomopoulos holds a degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University
.
, they live in California
with their two children, Arianna (born 1989) and Alexandra (born 1986). He also has three adult children from a previous marriage who reside in Los Angeles
.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, moving progressively from Vice President of Prime Time Programs, to President of ABC Entertainment
ABC Entertainment
ABC Entertainment is a network production company owned by ABC that was created in 1982.The company was previously known as ABC Television Network Productions, ABC Circle Films, and ABC Productions...
, to President of ABC Broadcast Group.
Biography
The son of Greek immigrants, he grew up in the Bronx. His dad owned a restaurant, young Tony was raised as a Greek Orthodox. After a high school aptitude test marked Thomopoulos as a potential diplomat, he applied to Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
The Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service is a school within Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., United States. Jesuit priest Edmund A...
. But while at the Washington university, he got interested in business instead. His first job out of college was as a mail clerk at NBC's New York headquarters. He rose rapidly from there into senior marketing jobs.
Business career
His big break came in 1973, when Barry Diller hired him on at ABC to oversee prime-time programming. He was president of the entire broadcast group when he left the company in 1985 to become chairman of United ArtistsUnited Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
Pictures and supervise such productions as: Rain Man
Rain Man
Rain Man is a 1988 drama film written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass and directed by Barry Levinson. It tells the story of an abrasive and selfish yuppie, Charlie Babbitt, who discovers that his estranged father has died and bequeathed all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his other son,...
, Betrayed
Betrayed (1988 film)
Betrayed is a 1988 motion picture drama directed by Costa-Gavras, written by Joe Eszterhas and starring Tom Berenger and Debra Winger.-Plot:Set in the American Midwest, the film begins with the murder of a Jewish radio host in Chicago...
, Child's Play, Baby Boom
Baby Boom (film)
Baby Boom is a 1987 comedy film starring Diane Keaton. The film also launched a subsequent television show starring Kate Jackson, running from 1988 to 1989. The original music score was composed by Bill Conti and the cinematography was by William A. Fraker....
, and James Bond XV. In 1989, Thomopoulos formed Thomopoulos Productions, an independent production company of both motion pictures and television programs.
From late 1991 to early 1995, he was President of Amblin Television, a division of Amblin Entertainment
Amblin Entertainment
Amblin Entertainment is an American film and television production company founded by director and producer Steven Spielberg and film producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall in 1981. Amblin is only a production company, and has never distributed its own movies, nor has it fully financed its...
. He was responsible for the original placement of NBC's highly acclaimed program ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, in addition to several other successful series on network television.
In 1995, Thomopoulos joined International Family Entertainment, Inc. (IFE). His responsibilities included all aspects of programming for The Family Channel
Television networks preceding ABC Family
The cable television network ABC Family has gone through several different owners during its history. Stipulations in sales terms for the network require that the network maintain the word "Family" in its name.-CBN Cable :...
. He was named CEO of MTM Entertainment, Inc., a subsidiary of IFE, and was also responsible for all aspects of MTM Television and MTM Distribution.
Thomopoulos was Chairman and CEO of Media Arts Group a NYSE company from June 2001 to January 2004. He is currently founder and partner in Morning Light Productions. Thomopoulos holds a degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
.
Personal life
He is married to Cristina FerrareCristina Ferrare
Cristina Ferrare is a former fashion model, actress, author and television talk-show host....
, they live in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with their two children, Arianna (born 1989) and Alexandra (born 1986). He also has three adult children from a previous marriage who reside in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.