George Litto(1930-2019)
- Producer
- Music Department
- Additional Crew
Born in Philadelphia, he attended Temple University and received a B.S
in Business. George Litto's career as a highly successful film
producer, talent agent, and film executive began at the William Morris
Agency in New York City.
In 1965, Mr. Litto formed his own literary agency representing screenwriters, producers, and directors. In over ten years, Mr. Litto brought together or "packaged" the creative elements for films including M*A*S*H, Planet of the Apes, Nashville, Midnight Cowboy, Fiddler on the Roof, Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here starring Robert Redford, Hang 'Em High starring Clint Eastwood, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, and Papillon starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman.
Mr. Litto negotiated distribution deals for films financed by independent producers. Those films include Robert Altman's Images and That Cold Day in the Park starring Sandy Dennis, Melvin Van Peebles' Sweet Sweetback's Baadassssss Song, Brian De Palma's Sisters, Marty Davidson and Stephen Verona's The Lords of Flatbush, and Rodney Amateau's Where Does It Hurt? starring Peter Sellers.
Mr. Litto's clients have also included directors Robert Altman, Joe Losey (The Go Between) and Brian De Palma and writers Waldo Salt (Midnight Cowboy), Dalton Trumbo (Papillon), Ring Lardner, Jr. (M*A*S*H), Michael Wilson (Planet of the Apes), Abraham Polonsky (Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here) and Arnold Perl (Cotton Comes to Harlem and Malcolm X). In addition, Mr. Litto represented Leonard Freeman, who created and produced the long-running series Hawaii Five-0 and wrote and produced the Clint Eastwood western Hang 'Em High.
In 1973, while still managing his agency, Mr. Litto began his producing career as the Executive Producer of Thieves Like Us, the critically acclaimed Robert Altman film. In 1975, Mr. Litto began to devote his full attention to producing feature films. He financed and produced Obsession, distributed by Columbia Pictures and starring Cliff Robertson, Genevieve Bujold, and John Lithgow. This film established director Brian De Palma as a distinguished filmmaker. In 1976, Mr. Litto financed and produced Drive-In, a successful comedy for Rod Amateau for Columbia Pictures. In 1977, he financed and produced Over the Edge, distributed by Warner Brothers. This critically acclaimed youth film, directed by Jonathan Kaplan, introduced Matt Dillon.
In 1979, Mr. Litto produced his most successful and well-known film, Dressed to Kill, directed by Brian De Palma and starring Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, and Dennis Franz. In 1980, Mr. Litto again collaborated with De Palma to produce Blowout starring John Travolta, Nancy Allen, and John Lithgow. While producing Blowout, Mr. Litto was recruited by Filmways to become Chairman of the Board and to help restructure the company. Mr. Litto successfully reorganized Filmways and made it an attractive company to acquire. In 1982, Filmways was acquired by Orion Pictures.
After leaving Filmways, Mr. Litto entered into a contract with Twentieth Century Fox as an independent producer. In 1988, Mr. Litto produced Kansas starring Matt Dillon and Andrew McCarthy, and Night Game starring Roy Scheider, directed by Peter Masterson.
After being married 20 years and raising two daughters, Mr. Litto took some time off to spend with his family, travel the world, and pursue other areas of personal interest.
In January 1998, Mr. Litto formed George Litto Pictures, Inc. and negotiated a $100 million line of credit with JP Morgan Chase Bank to finance and produce pictures. The first film, The Crew, in partnership with Barry Sonnenfeld was released by Buena Vista (Disney) in August 2000. The Crew starred Richard Dreyfuss, Burt Reynolds, Carrie Ann Moss, Jeremy Piven and Jennifer Tilly.
George Litto Productions, Inc. has an extensive development program, some of which are Vanished, a prison escape and love story based on true events by Eric Adams, The Blizzard, an action suspense thriller, by Marco Mannone, How Little We Know, a romantic comedy with international cast and appeal, and Unplanned Parenthood, a screenplay based on the novel by Liz Carpenter. Both screenplays are written by Andria Litto. Andria is George's daughter, partner and President of George Litto Productions, Inc.
In 1965, Mr. Litto formed his own literary agency representing screenwriters, producers, and directors. In over ten years, Mr. Litto brought together or "packaged" the creative elements for films including M*A*S*H, Planet of the Apes, Nashville, Midnight Cowboy, Fiddler on the Roof, Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here starring Robert Redford, Hang 'Em High starring Clint Eastwood, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, and Papillon starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman.
Mr. Litto negotiated distribution deals for films financed by independent producers. Those films include Robert Altman's Images and That Cold Day in the Park starring Sandy Dennis, Melvin Van Peebles' Sweet Sweetback's Baadassssss Song, Brian De Palma's Sisters, Marty Davidson and Stephen Verona's The Lords of Flatbush, and Rodney Amateau's Where Does It Hurt? starring Peter Sellers.
Mr. Litto's clients have also included directors Robert Altman, Joe Losey (The Go Between) and Brian De Palma and writers Waldo Salt (Midnight Cowboy), Dalton Trumbo (Papillon), Ring Lardner, Jr. (M*A*S*H), Michael Wilson (Planet of the Apes), Abraham Polonsky (Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here) and Arnold Perl (Cotton Comes to Harlem and Malcolm X). In addition, Mr. Litto represented Leonard Freeman, who created and produced the long-running series Hawaii Five-0 and wrote and produced the Clint Eastwood western Hang 'Em High.
In 1973, while still managing his agency, Mr. Litto began his producing career as the Executive Producer of Thieves Like Us, the critically acclaimed Robert Altman film. In 1975, Mr. Litto began to devote his full attention to producing feature films. He financed and produced Obsession, distributed by Columbia Pictures and starring Cliff Robertson, Genevieve Bujold, and John Lithgow. This film established director Brian De Palma as a distinguished filmmaker. In 1976, Mr. Litto financed and produced Drive-In, a successful comedy for Rod Amateau for Columbia Pictures. In 1977, he financed and produced Over the Edge, distributed by Warner Brothers. This critically acclaimed youth film, directed by Jonathan Kaplan, introduced Matt Dillon.
In 1979, Mr. Litto produced his most successful and well-known film, Dressed to Kill, directed by Brian De Palma and starring Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, and Dennis Franz. In 1980, Mr. Litto again collaborated with De Palma to produce Blowout starring John Travolta, Nancy Allen, and John Lithgow. While producing Blowout, Mr. Litto was recruited by Filmways to become Chairman of the Board and to help restructure the company. Mr. Litto successfully reorganized Filmways and made it an attractive company to acquire. In 1982, Filmways was acquired by Orion Pictures.
After leaving Filmways, Mr. Litto entered into a contract with Twentieth Century Fox as an independent producer. In 1988, Mr. Litto produced Kansas starring Matt Dillon and Andrew McCarthy, and Night Game starring Roy Scheider, directed by Peter Masterson.
After being married 20 years and raising two daughters, Mr. Litto took some time off to spend with his family, travel the world, and pursue other areas of personal interest.
In January 1998, Mr. Litto formed George Litto Pictures, Inc. and negotiated a $100 million line of credit with JP Morgan Chase Bank to finance and produce pictures. The first film, The Crew, in partnership with Barry Sonnenfeld was released by Buena Vista (Disney) in August 2000. The Crew starred Richard Dreyfuss, Burt Reynolds, Carrie Ann Moss, Jeremy Piven and Jennifer Tilly.
George Litto Productions, Inc. has an extensive development program, some of which are Vanished, a prison escape and love story based on true events by Eric Adams, The Blizzard, an action suspense thriller, by Marco Mannone, How Little We Know, a romantic comedy with international cast and appeal, and Unplanned Parenthood, a screenplay based on the novel by Liz Carpenter. Both screenplays are written by Andria Litto. Andria is George's daughter, partner and President of George Litto Productions, Inc.
