Weintraub Entertainment Group (WEG) was a film production company considered to be a mini-major studio founded by Jerry Weintraub .
56-461: Weintraub Entertainment Group was formed on July 1, 1986 by Jerry Weintraub . In February 1987, WEG received $ 461 million in financing from Columbia Pictures , Cineplex Odeon and others in the form of securities, bank loans and advances. The Coca-Cola Company and US Tobacco Company were principal investors. WEG also arranged a $ 145-million, 7-year credit line with the Bank of America . WEG also signed
112-648: A Neil Diamond concert in Las Vegas, knowing that Weintraub managed the event. Dylan began a world tour beginning in Japan which continued through Europe and the US, performing 114 shows in front of two million people. Biographer David Morrell writes, "We take this for granted now, but Weintraub's ability to organize these massive concerts made show-business history." Led Zeppelin manager, Peter Grant , recalls that Weintraub worked hard at putting on these large shows. "It
168-467: A dingo , a native species of wild dog. On colder nights they would sleep with two dogs and, if the night were freezing, it was a "three dog night". Musician Van Dyke Parks , an arranger at Warner Bros. Records , disputed the above story and said he coined the name. On 10 September 2018, he wrote on Twitter, "I wuz [ sic ] nuts about Hutton's girlfriend. Quite a dancer. Yet, she didn't read Mankind magazine, nor have an inkling of anthtopology [ sic ] and
224-517: A $ 6 million lawsuit against their former booking agent, American Talent International (ATI), for continuing to advertise in the media that the band was still with their agency when in fact they signed with William Morris Agency in October 1972. Other damages were sought due to ATI taking deposits for booking Three Dog Night, whom they no longer represented. Joe Schermie left in early 1973 due to "problems arising that were apparently unresolvable". He
280-455: A 20-year distribution deal with Columbia and planned to release seven or eight movies per year. In March 1987, WEG signed its first production and distribution deal, a three-year agreement with Robert Stigwood 's RSO Films for multiple films budgeted in the $ 12-million to $ 15-million range. With Stigwood's partnership, WEG was to finance a film version of Evita with Oliver Stone as writer/director and Meryl Streep as Eva Perón . However,
336-542: A 20-year distribution deal with Columbia, and planned to release seven or more movies per year. In 1990 WEG filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Weintraub would then produce for Warner Bros . WEG also subsequently settled a suit brought against it by Columbia. Weintraub's later films as producer were Happy New Year (1987), Pure Country (1992), The Specialist (1994), Vegas Vacation (1997), The Newton Boys (1998), The Avengers (1998), Soldier (1998), Nancy Drew (2007), The Karate Kid (2010), and
392-987: A Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to him. 2012 he was honored with the Career Achievement Award of Zurich Film Festival . Three Dog Night Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, founded by vocalists Chuck Negron , Cory Wells , and Danny Hutton . This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael Allsup (guitar), and Floyd Sneed (drums). The band had 21 Billboard Top 40 hits between 1969 and 1975, with three hitting number one. Three Dog Night recorded many songs written by outside songwriters, and they helped to introduce mainstream audiences to writers such as Randy Newman (" Mama Told Me Not to Come "), Paul Williams (" An Old Fashioned Love Song "), Laura Nyro (" Eli's Comin' ") and Hoyt Axton (" Joy to
448-602: A Little Tenderness", and "Family of Man". In August 2008, they released Three Dog Night Greatest Hits Live , a compilation of previously unissued live recordings from concerts in Frankfurt , Germany and Edmonton , London in 1972 and 1973. On October 24, 2009, they released three new songs: "Heart of Blues", "Prayer of the Children", and "Two Lights In The Nighttime". They issued two new songs on their 35th Anniversary Hits Collection Featuring The London Symphony Orchestra . In
504-439: A father figure. In the 1960s, he co-founded the vocal group The Doodletown Pipers . Among the acts that Weintraub managed at this time were Paul Anka , Shelley Berman , Pat Boone , Joey Bishop , The Four Seasons , Jackson Browne , Jimmy Buffett , and singer Jane Morgan , whom he would later marry. Weintraub was the manager of singer and actor John Denver whom he signed in 1970. Weintraub first saw Denver performing at
560-538: A handshake deal with Whoopi Goldberg to play the next God in a future Oh, God! sequel, should a favorable script become available. Weintraub had agreed to produce a new adaptation of The Legend of Tarzan for Warner Bros. which was released on July 1, 2016. Weintraub was a major contributor to many charities, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art , the Museum of Contemporary Art ,
616-502: A minority stake, but clashes between the two men led to Weintraub's departure after five months. The Karate Kid had several sequels, all produced by Weintraub, The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1989) and The Next Karate Kid (1994). Weintraub formed Weintraub Entertainment Group (WEG) in February 1987 with $ 461 million in financing from Columbia Pictures , Cineplex Odeon and others. WEG also signed
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#1732790672894672-486: A room, he lights it on fire. He's a great producer, a great organizer, a great friend, and truly the greatest showman on earth." George Clooney Weintraub's first film as a producer was Robert Altman 's Nashville (1975). Until then, United Artists producer David Picker had dismissed the script and would not make the film. A short time later, Weintraub was hosting a party for John Denver in New York, and among
728-679: A small club in Greenwich Village and liked his easy, "mountaineer's" manner. Weintraub produced a dozen television music specials starring Denver, winning an Emmy for one of them. Later, he produced the film Oh, God! (1977), starring Denver and George Burns . After Denver became a major success as a singer, he bought Weintraub a Rolls-Royce as a thank you gift. Weintraub said, "I couldn't help thinking that it wasn't too long ago that neither of us had bus fare." Denver and Weintraub's professional relationship ended acrimoniously, however, he regretted not being reconciled with Denver before
784-783: Is interred at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California . He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted. In 1986, the National Association of Theatre Owners named Weintraub the Producer of the Year. In 1991, he was named to the board of the Kennedy Center . Weintraub was one of the first independent film producers to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2007,
840-536: Is widely noted that he was friends with both George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan . He also had a strong spiritual side, which he once described to television host Larry King . He was a devotee of The Lubavitcher Rebbe and believed in his mystical powers. Weintraub died from cardiac arrest in Santa Barbara, California , on July 6, 2015, at the age of 77. Following the announcement of his death, celebrities and friends paid tribute to Weintraub. "Jerry
896-620: The 2001 remake of Ocean's Eleven , for which he founded the company JW Productions. In addition to producing the sequels Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007), he appeared in all the Ocean's films. Weintraub had a small role in Vegas Vacation (1997) as "Gilly from Philly" a high roller casino gambler with two pals, and in The Firm (1993). He was executive producer of HBO's series, The Brink , and HBO's Behind
952-1000: The Music Center , the UCLA School of Dentistry and the Children's Museum of Los Angeles . In 1988, the American Friends of the Hebrew University gave Weintraub and his wife, Jane, the Scopus Award in gratitude for their support. He was also a major supporter of Chabad and was close with the Lubavitcher Rebbe . He also began doing charitable work to help stop the ongoing genocide taking place in Darfur in 2007. Weintraub, Matt Damon , George Clooney , Don Cheadle , and Brad Pitt cofounded
1008-454: The $ 2 million he needed to make the film. Following Nashville , Weintraub's credits as producer over the next few years included Oh, God! (1977), September 30, 1955 (1978), Cruising (1980), All Night Long (1981), and Diner (1982). The success of The Karate Kid (1984), led Kirk Kerkorian , then owner of MGM/UA , to appoint Weintraub as chairman and CEO of the neglected United Artists division, with Weintraub acquiring
1064-500: The Candelabra in 2013, an Emmy-winning drama about the last ten years in the life of pianist Liberace . In 2014, he also won an Emmy as co-producer of Years of Living Dangerously , a television documentary about global warming . A television documentary film about Weintraub's life, called His Way , directed by Douglas McGrath , was broadcast on HBO in 2011. On a 2010 television appearance of The View , Weintraub made
1120-553: The Weintraub International Enterprises. The Bank of America and WEG established a new credit line for two years and $ 95 million with Credit Lyonnais participating. In 1989, as a result of Sony/Columbia hiring Peter Guber and Jon Peters away from Warner Bros. , Sony/Columbia traded its 15% share in WEG. In September 1990, WEG filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy . Later that month, Jerry Weintraub left
1176-611: The World ", " Never Been to Spain "). The commentary included in the CD set Celebrate: The Three Dog Night Story, 1965–1975 states that vocalist Danny Hutton's girlfriend, actress June Fairchild (best known as the "Ajax Lady" from the Cheech and Chong movie Up In Smoke ) suggested the name after reading a magazine article about Aboriginal Australians , in which it was explained that on cold nights they would customarily sleep while embracing
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#17327906728941232-543: The band announced that singer David Morgan would be joining them on the road. He was a former member of The Association . In April 2017, Howard Laravea replaced Eddie Reasoner on keyboards. He was formerly with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons . When Three Dog Night returned to touring in August 2021, it was without Michael Allsup, who was replaced with Tim Hutton on bass. Paul Kingery switched back to guitar. Allsup
1288-533: The band gain recognition and become one of the top-drawing concert acts of their time. Between 1969 and 1972 they had 13 songs in a row reach the Top 10 on the Canadian RPM charts. In December 1972, the band hosted and performed on the inaugural edition of Dick Clark 's New Year's Eve special New Year's Rockin' Eve , Three Dog Night's New Year's Rockin' Eve , on NBC . In 1973, Three Dog Night filed
1344-898: The band released Three Dog Night with The London Symphony Orchestra . The album was recorded in Los Angeles and in London at Abbey Road Studios and includes two new songs: "Overground" and "Sault Ste. Marie". They also released a DVD of a filmed symphony performance from 2000 titled Three Dog Night Live With the Tennessee Symphony Orchestra in May 2002. In the summer of 2004, 80s bassist Scott Manzo returned briefly to fill in for Paul Kingery. In October 2004, Three Dog Night released The 35th Anniversary Hits Collection Featuring The London Symphony Orchestra . The album includes live versions of "Eli's Coming", "Brickyard Blues", "Try
1400-674: The band with Negron in late 1985 and were both back touring with the group. By December 1985, after a relapse into his drug habit, Negron was let go, and the group continued with Wells and Hutton fronting the band and Paul Kingery was brought back on guitar to cover Chuck's vocal harmonies. In 1986, their song "In My Heart" was featured in Robotech: The Movie . More changes in personnel occurred when guitarist T. J. Parker and vocalist and bassist Gary Moon replaced Kingery and Manzo in 1988, and were replaced themselves by Mike Cuneo and Richard Campbell during 1989. Allsup returned to
1456-466: The cold aboriginal nights that inspired my suggestion." The three vocalists, Hutton (who got his start with Hanna-Barbera Records in 1964), Negron, and Wells (who landed a recording contract with Dunhill Records) first came together in 1967. They initially went by the name Redwood and made some recordings with Brian Wilson while the Beach Boys were working on the album Wild Honey . Redwood
1512-526: The company and forged a deal with Warner Bros. , while Columbia still remained indebted to releasing WEG films. Film Asset Holding Co., a company formed by WEG's two primary bank creditors, sued Weintraub over his structuring of a sale of the Peter Pan story to Sony Pictures Entertainment in the fall of 1990. Weintraub and Film Assets settled in January 1992. In August 1998, a jury verdict for $ 7 million
1568-512: The drummer of Kaptain Kool and the Kongs , in the children's television series The Krofft Supershow . For the albums Cyan , Hard Labor , and Coming Down Your Way , Hutton was absent from many of the recording sessions due to burgeoning cocaine and alcohol abuse (often in conjunction with such friends as Harry Nilsson and Brian Wilson), eventually precipitating his dismissal from the band at
1624-634: The group to replace Cuneo in the spring of 1991. Negron entered drug rehab, but did not return to the band. Pat Bautz succeeded Keeley as drummer in 1993. In 1993, Three Dog Night performed for The Family Channel show Spotlight on Country , filmed in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina . Kingery returned to the band as their bass player in 1996 following Campbell's departure. Jack Ryland (born November 15, 1950), bassist from 1973–1975, died November 13, 1996, two days before his 46th birthday. Original bassist Joe Schermie died on March 26, 2002. In May 2002
1680-461: The growing popularity of disco music. Disappointed by this, the band decided " Til The World Ends " would be the only single released from the album, which ended up being the group's last Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hit. Jay Gruska toured with the band to promote their last album, American Pastime , released in March 1976. Still, the album did not sell well for the same reasons as before. However,
1736-451: The guests he invited was Altman, whom he admired but had never met. "Altman pulled Weintraub aside", recalled screenwriter, Joan Tewkesbury , "and over a shared joint", Altman told Weintraub about the script. After another meeting with Altman, Weintraub was hooked on the story. However, no studio wanted to work with Altman, telling Weintraub that the director was a "pain in the ass". Weintraub eventually managed to find investors and gave Altman
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1792-462: The instigation of Wells in late 1975. He was replaced by Jay Gruska . Hours before the first concert of their 1975 tour, Negron was arrested for the possession of narcotics but was soon released on $ 10,000 bond. Coming Down Your Way , released in May 1975, failed to sell well in the United States, likely due to poor promotion on account of the band's recently switched label, ABC , and
1848-452: The nonprofit organization, Not On Our Watch , dedicated to preventing mass killings in Darfur and other areas of the world. They raised $ 9.3 million to aid their relief efforts. Weintraub was married twice. His first wife was Janice Greenberg, a dentist's daughter from his Bronx neighborhood who had been singer Julius La Rosa 's secretary. They had a son, Michael. Weintraub's second wife
1904-483: The only single released off the album, " Everybody's a Masterpiece " became an adult contemporary hit. Another former Rufus band member, Ron Stockert, was recruited as second keyboardist after Konte left in the first half of 1976. The group played their final show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on July 26, 1976. In 1979, NBC reported that the band's accountant "was shot in the arm and paralyzed, in what
1960-476: The original members, except Joe Schermie, who was succeeded by future Rick Springfield bassist Mike Seifrit until 1982, and then by Richard Grossman, who was featured on It's a Jungle and stayed until 1984. Two guitarists, Paul Kingery and Steve Ezzo, occasionally played with the band, filling in for Allsup on dates he was not able to make between 1982 and 1984. Ezzo replaced Allsup when he departed in late 1984 to take care of some personal and family matters. Sneed
2016-406: The other performers whose tours he managed were Elvis Presley , Frank Sinatra , The Four Seasons , Neil Diamond , Bob Dylan , Led Zeppelin , Three Dog Night and The Carpenters . Following his years as a concert promoter, he began producing films. Among them were director Robert Altman 's Nashville (1975), Barry Levinson 's Diner (1982), the films from The Karate Kid , as well as
2072-419: The police believe was a mob dispute over Three Dog Night." Joe Ulloa, a "reputed mob enforcer from New York", was investigated as being involved. In 1981, Three Dog Night reunited, later releasing the ska -inspired It's a Jungle in 1983 on the small Passport Records label, which garnered some airplay on the new wave circuit. The EP failed to sell after Passport went bankrupt. The reunion featured all of
2128-533: The previous six years, Sinatra had basically retired due to the failure of his last album. Weintraub convinced him to do a tour, which led to Sinatra's "transformation from saloon singer to stadium singer", wrote biographer Will Friedwald . "When Frank came out of retirement and started doing stadiums, he didn't know if he would draw," recalled guitarist Al Viola . "Weintraub deserves most of the credit (after Sinatra, that is) for pulling this off," says Friedwald. Bob Dylan signed with Weintraub in 1978 after watching
2184-499: The recording of three songs, including " Time to Get Alone " and " Darlin' ", this motion was halted by his bandmates, who wanted Brian to focus on the Beach Boys' contractual obligations. According to Negron, due to the commercial failure of Smiley Smile and Wilson's waning commitment to his band, "the other Beach Boys wanted Brian's immense songwriting and producing talents used strictly to enhance their own careers". Negron later noted that he would have acted similarly had he been in
2240-418: The remake Ocean's Eleven (2001), and its two sequels. Later, he was executive producer of HBO's series The Brink and HBO's Behind the Candelabra in 2013, which won an Emmy. In 2014, he won another Emmy as co-producer of Years of Living Dangerously , a television documentary about global warming . In 2011, HBO broadcast a television documentary about Weintraub's life, called His Way . Weintraub
2296-630: The same position as the Beach Boys. Shortly after abandoning the Redwood moniker in 1968, the vocalists hired a group of backing musicians – Ron Morgan on guitar, Floyd Sneed on drums, Joe Schermie from the Cory Wells Blues Band on bass, and Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards – and soon took the name Three Dog Night. Morgan left the band before its first album was recorded and subsequently joined the Electric Prunes . Michael Allsup
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2352-533: The singer's death. In 1970, Weintraub convinced Elvis Presley and his manager, Col. Tom Parker , to do Presley's first national tour, something they had not considered, as Presley was by then a successful film star. The tour, with a modern sound system created for it, helped develop Weintraub's career as a concert promoter. He next promoted a tour for Frank Sinatra in 1974, whom Weintraub first put in Madison Square Garden 's boxing arena. For
2408-553: The studio dropped the project. WEG purchased from The Cannon Group in May 1987 its 2,000-title British film library, the Thorn-EMI Screen Entertainment library, for $ 85 million with $ 50 million from a loan. On July 20, Harry Usher joined the Group as President of the Weintraub International Enterprises division and as a senior vice president. In January 1988, Barney Rosenzweig was hired as chairman of
2464-593: The summer of 2012, guitarist Allsup was hospitalized for an intestinal disorder, forcing Kingery to move back to guitar, while Danny's son Timothy Hutton played bass. This happened again during the summer of 2015 when Allsup was forced to miss some shows. On March 11, 2015, Jimmy Greenspoon died from cancer, aged 67. His place at the keyboards was taken by Eddie Reasoner who had substituted for him when he took ill in mid-2014. On October 21, 2015, Cory Wells died at his home in Dunkirk, New York , at age 74. In November 2015,
2520-519: The television unit, corporate vice president and a member of the executive committee. In July, the Bank of America terminated its credit line with Weintraub after difficulties in syndicating parts of the loan to other banks due to the Thorn-EMI loan. The Group's first release was The Big Blue in August; it grossed $ 1.6 million the opening weekend. In January 1989, Usher left his position as President of
2576-473: Was an American film producer, talent manager and actor whose television films won him three Emmys . He began his career as a talent agent, having managed relatively unknown singer John Denver in 1970, developing Denver's success through concerts, television specials, and film roles, including Oh, God! (1977). Weintraub has been credited with making "show business history" by being the first to organize and manage large arena concert tours for singers. Among
2632-426: Was an American original, who earned his success by the sheer force of his instinct, drive, and larger-than-life personality," said former president George H.W. Bush, a longtime friend. "He had a passion for life, and throughout the ups and downs of his prolific career it was clear just how much he loved show business." "He was a force of nature," said actor and director Carl Reiner . Actor Don Cheadle wrote, "Jerry
2688-745: Was an event," Grant says. And "Jerry Weintraub loved it." Weintraub acknowledged his motivations: "When I believe in something, it's going to get done," he wrote in his autobiography. Weintraub also managed or promoted concerts for such musical acts as Cuba Gooding Sr. , the Main Ingredient , the Carpenters , the Moody Blues , and the Beach Boys . "When it comes to work, nobody works harder. When it comes to charities, nobody guilts better. And when it comes to friendship, he has no peers. That's Jerry's great talent. He doesn't just light up
2744-618: Was born to a Jewish family in Brooklyn , and raised in the Bronx , the son of Rose (née Bass) and Samuel Weintraub. His father was a gem dealer. While growing up, he worked as a theater usher and as a waiter in the Catskills. After several years at MCA , where he first started work as a mailroom clerk, he left and formed his own personal management company. While at MCA, he was assistant to Lew Wasserman , whom he reportedly thought of as
2800-410: Was briefly poised to be one of the first artists signed to the Beach Boys' Brother Records . According to Beach Boy Mike Love , "[Brian] had them in the studio for several days, and he was really funny. They didn't meet up to his expectations. ... They'd go in and they wouldn't sing well enough for him. ... but they went off and made billions." Wilson attempted to produce an album for Redwood, but after
2856-466: Was let go from the band at the same time. Also in late 1984, keyboardist David Bluefield filled in for Greenspoon, who was ill. But Bluefield was replaced in 1985 by Rick Seratte (formerly of Poco and later with Whitesnake and others) and the band hit the road with a revised lineup that included Seratte, Steve Ezzo, bassist Scott Manzo and drummer Mike Keeley. The band toured all through 1985, but Seratte left to pursue other offers and Greenspoon rejoined
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#17327906728942912-572: Was lost by Bear Stearns Cos. to investors who had been misled by the brokerage's $ 83 million bond issue prospectus for the now-bankrupt Weintraub Entertainment Group. After the company shut down its assets were reorganized into the WEG Acquisition Corp, and are currently held by Sony , while the television rights are controlled by Paramount Pictures and under license to Trifecta Entertainment . Jerry Weintraub Jerome Charles Weintraub (September 26, 1937 – July 6, 2015)
2968-509: Was quickly recruited to replace Morgan on guitar. Three Dog Night made its official debut in 1968 at the Whisky a Go Go , at a 5 p.m. press party hosted by Dunhill Records . They were still in the process of making their first album Three Dog Night when they heard the favorable reactions from the hypercritical audience. The album Three Dog Night was a success with its hit songs "Nobody", " Try A Little Tenderness ", and " One " and helped
3024-569: Was replaced by Jack Ryland shortly thereafter, and the band then became an eight-piece with the inclusion of former Blues Image member Skip Konte as a second keyboardist in late 1973. In late 1974, Allsup and Sneed left to form a new band, SS Fools, with Schermie and Bobby Kimball (later of Toto ). New guitarist James "Smitty" Smith and drummer Mickey McMeel were recruited, but by 1975, Smith had been replaced by Al Ciner from Rufus and The American Breed , and Ryland by Rufus bassist Dennis Belfield. Mickey McMeel would go on to co-star as "Turkey",
3080-470: Was singer and actress Jane Morgan , who was 13 years his senior. Their relationship went from professional to personal and the two were married in 1965 when she was 41 and he was 28. They adopted three daughters. The couple separated in the 1980s, but never divorced. For 20 years until his death, Weintraub had been living with his girlfriend and longtime companion, Susan Ekins. Weintraub supported both political parties at various times in his life. However, it
3136-445: Was to me equal parts Godfather, rainmaker, caretaker, PT Barnum and friend." George Clooney , star of the Ocean's movies, said that "in the coming days there will be tributes about our friend Jerry Weintraub. We'll laugh at his great stories, and applaud his accomplishments. And in the years to come, the stories and accomplishments will get better with age, just as Jerry would have wanted it. But not today. Today our friend died." He
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