Saul Zaentz

Birth Name:

Saul Zaentz

Birth Place:

Passaic, New Jersey, United States

Profession

Producer, Sound department, Actor

Won an Irving G․ Thalberg Memorial Award for lifetime achievement in 1997
Served in the U․S․ Army during World War II, serving in Europe, Africa, and the Pacific
Attended Rutgers University after World War II and took business courses in St․ Louis
Ran away from home at the age of 15, making money by gambling and selling peanuts at baseball games
Started out as a record distributor in San Francisco in 1950 and later worked as a salesman at Fantasy Records in 1955
Best known as a former record company executive and film producer of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "The English Patient," and "Amadeus․"
Also bought a number of jazz labels like Prestige and Riverside, giving Fantasy Records a catalog including artists like John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and Miles Davis
Bought Fantasy Records in 1967 and signed the rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival a year later
Produced his films on location whenever possible, including in the African desert and Central American jungles, and made a point to leave all artistic decisions to the director
Made only nine films during his time in film production, most without financial backing from any Hollywood studios

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