Robert Rehme (born May 5, 1935) is an American film producer whose credits include the films Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger and The General's Daughter.
Career In 1961, he was manager of RKO Theatres in Cincinnati and in 1969 he joined United Artists's advertising department. In 1976, he formed his own exhibition and distribution firm but later joined New World Pictures as vice president and general sales manager in February 1978.
Head of Avco Embassy He joined Avco Embassy Pictures in December 1978 as vice-president and chief operating officer. In November 1979, he was elected president and chief executive officer.
When Rehme started at Avco, he asked for $5 million to make movies. He used it to make eight. "The important thing was not to put Avco at risk for any major amount of money," he said. "We'd finance a movie and find a financial group to buy us out, so we could use the money over again."
Under Rehme's stewardship, the company went from earning $20 million in 1978 to $90 million in 1981. Among its successful films were two from John Carpenter, The Fog and Escape from New York. He also backed The Howling and had a big success with Time Bandits which Avco picked up from Britain. Other hits included Phantasm, The Onion Field and Watership Down. Flops included Winter Kills, Death Ship and Hog Wild.
In December 1981, Avco was bought by Norman Lear and Jerry Perenchio.
Universal In June 1981, Rehme joined Universal Pictures, becoming president of the Theatrical Motion Picture Group in December 1982. He quit in December 1983.
New World In 1983, he became co-chairman and chief executive officer of New World Entertainment, Inc until 1989.
Producer In 1989, Rehme and producer Mace Neufeld co-founded the motion picture production company Neufeld/Rehme Productions. It was during this time that he created the pictures for which he is most known, such as Patriot Games and Flight of the Intruder.
Rehme served as a governor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for eight years before becoming president in 1992, succeeding Karl Malden. Prior to that, he had been President of the Academy Foundation. He could only serve as Academy President for one year, as Academy rules stipulated that he could only sit on the board for nine consecutive terms. He rejoined the board and became president for a second time from 1997 to 2001.
Select credits He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
Film Year Film Credit Notes 1981 An Eye for an Eye Executive producer 1982 Vice Squad Executive producer 1991 Flight of the Intruder Necessary Roughness 1992 Patriot Games 1994 Beverly Hills Cop III Clear and Present Danger 1998 Blind Faith Executive producer Lost in Space Executive producer Black Dog Executive producer 2000 Bless the Child Executive producer 2003 Gods and Generals Executive producer 2005 Asylum Executive producer
As Head of Avco
Year Film Director Notes 1978 Go Tell the SpartansTed PostFilm about Vietnam War with Burt Lancaster StingrayRichard TaylorAction comedy Watership DownMartin RosenBritish animated film, box office hit 1979 The Bell JarLarry PeerceBased on Sylvia Plath book PhantasmDon CoscarelliSci-fi horror, box office hit Old BoyfriendsJoan TewksburyComedy, cult film Winter KillsWilliam RichertBlack comedy, box office flop, cult film GoldengirlJoseph SergeantSci-fi sports, box office flop City on FireAlvin RakoffCanadian disaster movie, box office flop The Onion FieldHarold BeckerBased on Joseph Wambaugh book A Man, a Woman, and a BankNoel BlackCanadian heist film Fish HawkDonald ShebibCanadian drama Murder by DecreeBob ClarkCanadian-British movie, Sherlock Holmes 1980 Hog WildLes RoseCanadian comedy The FogJohn CarpenterHorror, box office hit The Black MarbleHarold BeckerBased on Joseph Wamnaugh book Death ShipAlvin RakoffCanadian horror The Baltimore BulletRobert Ellis MillerComedy Night GamesRoger Vadimerotic thriller Prom NightPaul LynchCanadian horror, box office hit The ExterminatorJames Glickenhausvigilante film, box office hit HopscotchRonald Neamespy comedy DelusionAlan Beattieslasher 1981 ScannersDavid CronenbergCanadian horror, box office hit Take This Job and Shove ItGus TrikonisComedy based on a song, box office hit The HowlingJoe Dantehorror, box office hit Dirty TricksAlvin Rakoffcomedy The Night the Lights Went Out in GeorgiaRonald Maxwellcomedy based on a song, minor hit Dead & BuriedGery Shermanslasher Final ExamJimmy Houstonslasher film, minor hit Escape from New YorkJohn Carpentersci fi action, box office hit An Eye for an EyeSteve CarverChuck Norris action, box office hit Carbon CopyMichael Schultzcomedy TulipsStan Ferriscomedy Time BanditsTerry GilliamBritish sci fi, major hit 1982 Vice SquadGary Shermanaction, box office hit Zapped!Robert Rosenthalteen comedy, box office hit
Thanks
Year Film Notes 1982 Zapped! Thanks
Television Year Title Credit Notes 1992 Lightning Force Executive producer 1996 Gridlock Executive producer Television film Woman Undone Executive producer Television film For the Future: The Irvine Fertility Scandal Executive producer Television film 1998 Escape: Human Cargo Executive producer Television film 2001 Love and Treason Executive producer Television film 2002 Conviction Executive producer Television film 2003 Deacons for Defense Executive producer Television film
References