It’s a terrible shock this morning to learn that Brad Grey has died. The former chief of Paramount Pictures was 59, and we all knew him very well. Reports say he had cancer, which was a well kept secret. Condolences to his family and friends.
Brad ran Paramount for 12 years with a lot of success including winner the Best Picture Oscar for Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed.” He had a terrific relationship with Scorsese, distributing “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “Shutter Island.” He had plenty of other hits during those dozen years, and made Paramount a much more hospitable studio than it had been in the past.
Prior to Paramount, Grey was a top tier TV producer. He guided “The Sopranos” and “The Larry Sanders Show” in partnership with the late and legendary Bernie Brillstein, picking up many awards including an Emmy in 2004.
There will be plenty of tributes and messages on Twitter, etc. from Brad’s friends as well as his enemies— frenemies. If cancer hadn’t taken him, which is as cruel as it could be, Brad would have produced hit movies and TV shows for the next twenty years. He was determined, and had great taste. I will miss him.
