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Lawrence Ira "Larry" Brezner (August 23, 1942 – October 5, 2015) was an American film producer, most notable for producing films such as Good Morning, Vietnam, Throw Momma from the Train, and Ride Along.
Born in the Bronx in New York City in 1942,[1] Brezner studied at the University of Bridgeport and St. John's University from which he graduated with a Masters in Psychology. He then was a teacher at an elementary school in Spanish Harlem before he moved on to the entertainment industry. In 1974 he opened a night club in Manhattan, where he met the producer Jack Rollins.[2] In the same year he joined the company of Rollins & Charles H. Joffe with Buddy Morra and was their partner in the late 1970s. After Rollins and Joffe withdrew from the company, he, Buddy Morra, David Steinberg and Stephen Tenenbaum formed a new company, MBST Entertainment, Inc. (Morra Brezner Steinberg & Tenenbaum). His first wife was the singer Melissa Manchester; they met when she performed at his club, and Brezner managed her career during their seven-year marriage.[3] His second marriage to Bett Zimmerman also ended in divorce.[4]
From the mid-1980s, Brezner served as the executive producer for various comedy specials on US television. Brezner also managed the careers of artists such as Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Martin Short, Bette Midler and many other comedic talents.
In 1981 his first film project was the original Arthur, his first project as film producer in 1984 was Throw Momma from the Train. This was followed by Good Morning, Vietnam, The 'Burbs, and The Vanishing "Krippendorf's Tribe", "The Greatest Game". In 2014 he produced the comedy Ride Along. His final project, Ride Along 2, was released in January 2016.[5]
He died in Duarte, California in October 2015 from leukemia, which was diagnosed a few months earlier. Brezner is survived by his third wife, Dominique Cohen-Brezner, and two daughters, Lauren Azbill and China Brezner.[6]
He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
| Year | Film | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Arthur | Executive producer | Uncredited
|
| 1987 | Throw Momma from the Train | ||
| Good Morning, Vietnam | |||
| 1989 | The 'Burbs | ||
| 1990 | Coupe de Ville | ||
| 1992 | Passed Away | ||
| 1993 | The Vanishing | ||
| 1994 | Angie | ||
| Clifford | |||
| 1998 | Krippendorf's Tribe | ||
| 2000 | The Extreme Adventures of Super Dave | Direct-to-video | |
| 2001 | Freddy Got Fingered | ||
| 2002 | Sorority Boys | ||
| 2004 | The Last Shot | ||
| 2005 | The Greatest Game Ever Played | ||
| 2011 | Arthur | ||
| 2014 | Ride Along | Final film as a producer | |
| 2016 | Ride Along 2 | Posthumous credit |
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Crossing the Bridge | Thanks |
| Year | Title | Credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Good Time Harry | Executive producer | |
| 1981 | The Acorn People | Executive producer | Television film |
| 1982 | The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour | Executive producer | |
| 1984 | Billy Crystal: A Comic's Line | Executive producer | Television special |
| 1985 | Martin Short: Concert for the North Americas | Executive producer | Television special |
| 1986 | Robin Williams: Live at the Met | Executive producer | Television special |
| The Young Comedians All-Star Reunion | Executive producer | Television special | |
| But Seriously, Folks | Executive producer | Television short | |
| 1987 | On Location: Women of the Night | Executive producer | Television special |
| The 11th Annual Young Comedians | Executive producer | Television special | |
| 1988 | The 12th Annual Young Comedians Special | Executive producer | Television special |
| 1990 | Good Grief | Executive producer | |
| 2008 | Little Britain USA | Executive producer |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Robin Williams Live on Broadway | Special thanks | Television special |
| 2009 | Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction |
