James G. Robinson, the former automotive executive who co-founded Morgan Creek Entertainment and left a lasting mark on Hollywood with films ranging from Ace Ventura: Pet Detective to Robin Hood: men in tightsHe has died at the age of 90.
His death on February 15 was confirmed by a family obituary.
Robinson’s path to Hollywood was unlikely. Born in Baltimore, he spent his career in the automotive industry before moving into bridge financing for films and eventually moving into production full-time.
In 1988, he co-founded Morgan Creek Entertainment with seasoned Hollywood executive Joe Roth, and the company became a genuinely prolific force in American cinema.
His credits include young guns, dead bell ringers, Pacific Heights, The last of the mohicansand the enormous success Ace Ventura series, among many others.
Most recently, Robinson had production credits on the 2023 film. The exorcist: believer and the dead bell ringers television series.
spoke with Variety in 1997 about what drove him.
“When you work in a studio, where it’s nice and comfortable, there’s no pain and, in my opinion, there’s no short gain,” he said.
“The bottom line is that the greatest feeling in the world is when you make a movie that you know is good and it plays unusually well. It’s an emotional home run.”
Robinson is perhaps also remembered in certain circles for a letter he sent to Lindsay Lohan during the production of the 2006 film Morgan Creek. Georgia Rulein which he called her “rude, irresponsible and unprofessional” and described her as a “spoiled child” who had “jeopardized the quality of this image.”
The letter became famous in the industry. Director Garry Marshall later said Variety simply: “We needed that letter to get him back to work.”
Robinson is survived by his wife of 61 years, Barbara Lois Robinson; sons Michael, James, Matthew, David and Thomas; and his daughter Elizabeth Robinson deVilliers.
His son David Robinson currently serves as president of Morgan Creek Entertainment Group.
