Marvin Minoff

MINOFF, Marvin Marvin Minoff, Producer - passed away Wednesday night, November 11th, at home with his family and friends. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, actress Bonnie Franklin, his daughter Julie and her husband Glenn Mar, his son Jed and his wife Madoka, his two granddaughters, Natasha MarMinoff and Maya Grace Minoff, his brother Bruce and his wife Susan. He was the much-loved uncle of Melissa Minoff, artist Edward Minoff, and the godfather of Adam Bush. Born June 26, 1931, in Brooklyn, New York, Marvin attended Lincoln High School, Syracuse University and NYU before entering the U.S. Army, where he served in intelligence during the Korean War. Returning to New York, Minoff joined the William Morris Agency. In 15 years he rose quickly at two major agencies, William Morris and International Famous Artists (today's ICM), and became vice president of the motion picture department. He represented renowned actors, writers and directors such as Cicely Tyson, Sidney Lumet, David W. Rintels and Bruce Joel Rubin while packaging such blockbusters as "The French Connection" and "Love Story." His triumphs as an agent were always featured in Variety as "Another success by Marvin Minoff, son of famed theatrical haberdasher Harry Minoff," a tip of the hat to his father, who owned a clothing store up the street.
Minoff left the agency business in 1974 to become president of David Frost's David Paradine Television, Inc., where he co-produced with Frost the historic "Nixon Interviews," as well as subsequent interviews with Henry Kissinger and the Shah of Iran. While at Paradine he also produced James Michener's "Dynasty," "The Ordeal of Patty Hearst," and "Portrait of a Rebel: Margaret Sanger," starring his soon-to-be wife Bonnie Franklin. After leaving Paradine he continued as an independent producer until 1985, when he formed Farrell/Minoff Productions, a partnership with actor/writer Mike Farrell. The pair worked together for the next quarter century, producing motion pictures for television starring such luminaries as Shelley Fabares, Fred Savage, Helen Hunt, Tess Harper, Patricia Wettig, Jill Clayburgh, Missy Crider and Edward Asner, along with two features: the award-winning "Dominick and Eugene" starring Tom Hulce and Ray Liotta for Orion Pictures and Universal's "Patch Adams," starring Robin Williams. A beloved and highly respected veteran of "The show-biz wars," Minoff enjoyed the esteem of all those with whom he worked and was universally regarded as that rare thing in the business: an honest man. Services will be held Sunday, 11 a.m., at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, (800) 600-0076.