Biography

An Ivy League graduate with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Cronin spent five years working as an engineer in research and marketing. All the while, he was moonlighting as a freelance joke writer for an award winning newsbreak spoof on Nick-at-Nite. Cronin switched careers permanently when he joined Howard Stern's nationally syndicated Saturday night television show (the infamous "Channel 9 Show") as one of the only two staff writers in 1991. Quickly, his responsibilities on the show expanded to include scripting entire episodes, producing celebrity interviews, and producing comedic field pieces. Mark contributed to Stern's national radio show and served as producer/writer on all of his television projects, including his "New Year's Rotten Eve" pay per view special - the highest grossing non-sports pay per view event of all time. Cronin also scripted an entire E! Entertainment Television special for Stern's book Miss America.

Moving from New York to LA, Cronin became the Head Writer for the pilot and first season of MTV's hit dating show "Singled Out" (starring Jenny McCarthy) and went on to run the show for its two highest rated seasons. From MTV, Cronin moved to the Fox Network to Co-Executive produce their first primetime event game show "Big Dea". From there, he returned to late night and served as Supervising Producer of Comedy for "The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show".

In 1997 Mark founded reality production company Mindless Entertainment which cut its teeth in studio based talk shows and game shows including "The X Show" (400 episodes on FX), "Beat the Geeks" (3 seasons on Comedy Central), "Ultimate Film Fanatic" (3 seasons on IFC) and the competition shows "Cram" and "Extreme Dodgeball" (3 seasons each on GSN).

In 2003 Mark Cronin's Mindless Entertainment teamed up with Cris Abrego's 51 Pictures to form 51 Minds Entertainment. Anchored by flagship show "The Surreal Life", the company produces VH1's biggest and most successful lineup of reality television ever.

In 2008 Endemol USA acquired a controlling interest in 51 Minds signing Mark and Cris to long-term management contracts and insuring a steady stream of productions and formats for years to come.
- IMDb mini biography by: 51 Minds Entertainment