Dawn Steel
Encyclopedia
Dawn Steel was one of the first women to run a major Hollywood film studio. She was born as Dawn Spielberg (no relation to Steven Spielberg
) in New York City and raised in the suburb Great Neck, Long Island
. Her father changed the family name.
but did not graduate. She became merchandising director for Penthouse Magazine. In 1975, she founded her own company that produced novelty items such as designer logo toilet paper.
, where she planned marketing tie-ins for Star Trek: The Motion Picture
and was responsible for the making of Fatal Attraction
and Flashdance
, amongst others. She became vice president of production in 1980 and production chief in 1985. Steel was the second woman to head a major film production department (the first being Sherry Lansing
at Twentieth-Century Fox and the third being Nina Jacobson
at Buena Vista).
Her production credits from that era include Flashdance
, Top Gun
, and Fatal Attraction
.
In 1985, she married film producer Charles Roven
with whom she had a daughter Rebecca Steel Roven.
in 1987. Under her tenure the studio released When Harry Met Sally which had been developed and produced independently by Castle Rock
productions.
Steel's brief two-year tenure was marked by continued turmoil and losses, continuing a string of bad news begun under David Putnam before her appointment. She was asked to leave the studio in 1989 and shortly thereafter Coca-Cola spun off the studio and exited the movie business - Columbia was thereafter sold to Sony Corporation of Japan.
Also in 1989, Steel was awarded the Women in Film Crystal Award for outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry.
and City of Angels.
In 1993, she told her story in a book titled "They Can Kill You But They Can't Eat You." (ISBN 0-671-73832-1).
. She died, aged 51, after a 20-month battle against the disease. Her film "City of Angels" was dedicated to her memory.
Her career at Paramount as Chief of Production was referenced in the HBO series, Entourage
in the Season Three (2006) episode "What About Bob?", when fictional producer Bob Ryan asks Ari Gold if Dawn Steel will still be working there, to which Ari replies "Bob, Dawn Steel died nine years ago".
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
) in New York City and raised in the suburb Great Neck, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. Her father changed the family name.
Career
Dawn Steel attended New York UniversityNew York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
but did not graduate. She became merchandising director for Penthouse Magazine. In 1975, she founded her own company that produced novelty items such as designer logo toilet paper.
Paramount Pictures
In 1978, she went to work for Paramount PicturesParamount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, where she planned marketing tie-ins for Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a 1979 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the first film based on the Star Trek television series. The film is set in the twenty-third century, when a mysterious and immensely powerful alien cloud called V'Ger approaches the Earth,...
and was responsible for the making of Fatal Attraction
Fatal Attraction
Fatal Attraction is a 1987 American thriller blended with horror, directed by Adrian Lyne and stars Michael Douglas, Glenn Close and Anne Archer. The film centers around a married man who has a weekend affair with a woman who refuses to allow it to end, resulting in emotional blackmail, stalking...
and Flashdance
Flashdance
Another song used in the film, "Maniac", was also nominated for an Academy Award. It was written by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky, and was inspired by the 1980 horror film Maniac. The lyrics about a killer on the loose were rewritten so that it could be used in Flashdance...
, amongst others. She became vice president of production in 1980 and production chief in 1985. Steel was the second woman to head a major film production department (the first being Sherry Lansing
Sherry Lansing
Sherry Lansing is a former actress and American film studio executive. She is former CEO of Paramount Pictures, and when president of production at 20th Century Fox was the first woman to head a Hollywood studio In 1996, she became the first woman named Pioneer of the Year by the Foundation of...
at Twentieth-Century Fox and the third being Nina Jacobson
Nina Jacobson
Nina Jacobson is an American film executive who, until July 2006, was president of the Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
at Buena Vista).
Her production credits from that era include Flashdance
Flashdance
Another song used in the film, "Maniac", was also nominated for an Academy Award. It was written by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky, and was inspired by the 1980 horror film Maniac. The lyrics about a killer on the loose were rewritten so that it could be used in Flashdance...
, Top Gun
Top Gun
Top Gun may refer to:* Top Gun is a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise.**Top Gun , soundtrack to the movie**Top Gun , a number of games based on the movie...
, and Fatal Attraction
Fatal Attraction
Fatal Attraction is a 1987 American thriller blended with horror, directed by Adrian Lyne and stars Michael Douglas, Glenn Close and Anne Archer. The film centers around a married man who has a weekend affair with a woman who refuses to allow it to end, resulting in emotional blackmail, stalking...
.
In 1985, she married film producer Charles Roven
Charles Roven
Charles Roven is an American film producer. He was previously married to Dawn Steel.-External links:...
with whom she had a daughter Rebecca Steel Roven.
Columbia Pictures
She became president of Columbia PicturesColumbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
in 1987. Under her tenure the studio released When Harry Met Sally which had been developed and produced independently by Castle Rock
Castle Rock Entertainment
Castle Rock Entertainment is a film and television production company founded in 1987 by Martin Shafer, director Rob Reiner, Andrew Scheinman, Glenn Padnick and Alan Horn. It is a subsidiary of Warner Bros...
productions.
Steel's brief two-year tenure was marked by continued turmoil and losses, continuing a string of bad news begun under David Putnam before her appointment. She was asked to leave the studio in 1989 and shortly thereafter Coca-Cola spun off the studio and exited the movie business - Columbia was thereafter sold to Sony Corporation of Japan.
Also in 1989, Steel was awarded the Women in Film Crystal Award for outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry.
Atlas Entertainment
She left Columbia to found Atlas Entertainment and become an independent producer. Her final two films were FallenFallen (film)
Fallen is a 1998 supernatural thriller film, directed by Gregory Hoblit, and starring Denzel Washington, John Goodman and Donald Sutherland.-Plot:...
and City of Angels.
In 1993, she told her story in a book titled "They Can Kill You But They Can't Eat You." (ISBN 0-671-73832-1).
Death
In April 1996, Dawn Steel was diagnosed with a brain tumorBrain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
. She died, aged 51, after a 20-month battle against the disease. Her film "City of Angels" was dedicated to her memory.
Her career at Paramount as Chief of Production was referenced in the HBO series, Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
in the Season Three (2006) episode "What About Bob?", when fictional producer Bob Ryan asks Ari Gold if Dawn Steel will still be working there, to which Ari replies "Bob, Dawn Steel died nine years ago".