Ted Field
Encyclopedia
Frederick Woodruff "Ted" Field (born 1953) is an American media mogul and entrepreneur and film producer.
, Illinois
, the son of Katherine Woodruff Fanning, an editor of the Christian Science Monitor, and Marshall Field IV
, who owned the Chicago Sun-Times
. He is an heir to the Field family
fortune. At $1.2 billion, Field is #236 on the Forbes list of the 400 richest people.
Field well known by motor racing enthusiasts for being the boss of Interscope Racing, a successful team that fielded cars in many different categories including Indy, CanAm, Sportscars and even F1. Danny Ongais
was the main pilot of the team, Ted Field himself occasionally took the wheel in some occasions including at 24 Hours of Le Mans
.
Interscope Racing started off entering Ongais in Formula 5000
in 1975, graduating to USAC
racing and the Indianapolis 500
in Parnelli
chassis. Field also funded Ongais to make occasional Formula One
outings in a Penske.
Field also backed the construction in 1980 of an Interscope chassis designed by Roman Slobodinskij for the Indianapolis 500
. This was intended to take a turbocharged six-cylinder Porsche
engine (similar to the one Ongais and Field were using in their Porsche 935
) but a dispute with USAC over turbo boost meant the program was abandoned.
Field then founded Interscope Communications in 1982, which produced more than 50 major films. In 1990, he co-founded Interscope Records
. After abruptly leaving Interscope in January 2001, he formed ARTISTdirect Records with the backing of BMG
. Ted Field is currently Chairman and CEO of Radar Pictures.
He is currently living in Beverly Hills
, Los Angeles
, Los Angeles County
, California
.
Biography
Field was born in Chicago, Cook CountyCook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, the son of Katherine Woodruff Fanning, an editor of the Christian Science Monitor, and Marshall Field IV
Marshall Field IV
Marshall Field IV was the owner of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1956 to 1965.-Early life and education:Marshall Field IV was born on June 15, 1916 to Evelyn and Marshall Field III....
, who owned the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
. He is an heir to the Field family
Marshall Field
Marshall Field was founder of Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores.-Life and career:...
fortune. At $1.2 billion, Field is #236 on the Forbes list of the 400 richest people.
Field well known by motor racing enthusiasts for being the boss of Interscope Racing, a successful team that fielded cars in many different categories including Indy, CanAm, Sportscars and even F1. Danny Ongais
Danny Ongais
Danny Ongais is a former racecar driver from the United States.He is the only native Hawaiian to compete at the Indianapolis 500...
was the main pilot of the team, Ted Field himself occasionally took the wheel in some occasions including at 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
.
Interscope Racing started off entering Ongais in Formula 5000
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
in 1975, graduating to USAC
United States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
racing and the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
in Parnelli
Parnelli
Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing, commonly referred to simply as Parnelli or VPJ, was a motor racing constructor and team from the USA. The team was formed in 1969 by former USAC racer Parnelli Jones and his business partner Velko "Vel" Miletich...
chassis. Field also funded Ongais to make occasional Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
outings in a Penske.
Field also backed the construction in 1980 of an Interscope chassis designed by Roman Slobodinskij for the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
. This was intended to take a turbocharged six-cylinder Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
engine (similar to the one Ongais and Field were using in their Porsche 935
Porsche 935
The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976, as the factory racing version of the Porsche 911 turbo prepared for FIA-Group 5 rules. It was an evolution of the Porsche Carrera RSR 2.1 turbo prototype which had scored 2nd overall in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans....
) but a dispute with USAC over turbo boost meant the program was abandoned.
Field then founded Interscope Communications in 1982, which produced more than 50 major films. In 1990, he co-founded Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
. After abruptly leaving Interscope in January 2001, he formed ARTISTdirect Records with the backing of BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
. Ted Field is currently Chairman and CEO of Radar Pictures.
He is currently living in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Filmography (producer)
- Revenge of the NerdsRevenge of the NerdsRevenge of the Nerds is a 1984 comedy film satirizing social life on a college campus. The film stars Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, Brian Tochi, Larry B. Scott, John Goodman, and Donald Gibb...
(1984) (producer) - Turk 182! (1985) (producer)
- Three Men and a BabyThree Men and a BabyThree Men and a Baby is a 1987 comedy film starring Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, Nancy Travis , and Ted Danson, and directed by Leonard Nimoy, in his first non-Star Trek movie directorial role. It follows the mishaps and adventures of three bachelors as they attempt to adapt their lives to...
(1987) (producer) - Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in ParadiseRevenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in ParadiseRevenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise is the 1987 sequel to the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds. Its cast featured most of the main actors from the earlier film, including Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Curtis Armstrong, Larry B. Scott, Timothy Busfield, Donald Gibb, and Andrew Cassese....
(1987) (producer) - Outrageous Fortune (1987) (producer)
- Critical ConditionCritical Condition (film)Critical Condition is a 1987 comedy film starring Richard Pryor.-Synopsis:Pryor plays Kevin Lennihan, a con man who is framed in a jewel robbery. In order to escape custody, he fakes insanity, then poses as surgeon Dr. Eddie Slattery at a local hospital when he switches places with the...
(1987) (producer) - Cocktail (1988) (producer)
- The Seventh SignThe Seventh SignThe Seventh Sign is a 1988 apocalyptic drama film written by Clifford and Ellen Green and directed by Carl Schultz.-Plot:Signs of the apocalypse are appearing, along with a mysterious wanderer. Father Lucci is the Vatican official investigating them...
(1988) (producer) - An Innocent ManAn Innocent Man (film)An Innocent Man, is a 1989 crime thriller film directed by Peter Yates, and starring Tom Selleck. The film follows James Rainwood, an airline mechanic sent to prison when framed by crooked police officers.-Plot:...
(1989) (producer) - Renegades (1989) (executive producer)
- Collision CourseCollision Course (film)Collision Course is a 1989 action-comedy film starring Jay Leno as a Detroit police officer and Pat Morita as a Japanese cop forced to work together to recover a Japanese turbocharger stolen by villainous Chris Sarandon. It was directed by Lewis Teague and unreleased in the U.S. until 1992, when it...
(1989) (producer) - Bill & Ted's Excellent AdventureBill & Ted's Excellent AdventureBill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is a 1989 American science fiction–comedy buddy film and the first film in the Bill & Ted franchise in which two metalhead slackers travel through time to assemble a menagerie of historical figures for their high school history presentation.The film was written by...
(1989) (executive producer) - 3 Men and a Little Lady3 Men and a Little LadyThree Men and a Little Lady is a 1990 American comedy film, and a sequel to Three Men and a Baby . Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson reprise the leading roles.-Plot:...
(1990) (producer) - ArachnophobiaArachnophobia (film)Arachnophobia is a 1990 American comedy horror film directed by Frank Marshall and starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman. It was the first film released by Hollywood Pictures....
(1990) (co-executive producer) - Bird on a WireBird on a Wire (film)Bird on a Wire is a 1990 feature film starring Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn, directed by John Badham, and shot mainly in British Columbia, Canada. The title refers to the Leonard Cohen song "Bird on the Wire"...
(1990) (executive producer) - ParadiseParadise (1991 film)Paradise is a 1991 film written and directed by Mary Agnes Donoghue. The original music score is composed by David Newman.Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson play Lily and Ben Reed, a young couple torn apart by a family tragedy...
(1991) (executive producer) - Bill & Ted's Bogus JourneyBill & Ted's Bogus JourneyBill & Ted's Bogus Journey is a 1991 American science fiction comedy film, and the directing debut of Peter Hewitt. It is the second film in the Bill & Ted franchise, and a sequel to Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure . Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter and George Carlin reprise their respective roles...
(1991) (executive producer) - Class Action (1991) (producer)
- Out on a Limb (1992) (executive producer)
- The Gun in Betty Lou's HandbagThe Gun in Betty Lou's HandbagThe Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag is a 1992 American screwball comedy film written by Grace Cary Bickley and directed by Allan Moyle. The film stars Penelope Ann Miller, Eric Thal, Julianne Moore, William Forsythe, and Alfre Woodard...
(1992) (executive producer) - Jersey Girl (1992) (executive producer)
- FernGully: The Last RainforestFernGully: The Last RainforestFernGully: The Last Rainforest is a 1992 Australian-American animated film directed by Bill Kroyer, produced by Peter Faiman and Wayne Young, and written by Jim Cox based on a book of the same name by Diana Young. It is a film with a strong environmental theme...
(1992) (executive producer) - The Cutting EdgeThe Cutting EdgeThe Cutting Edge is a 1992 romantic comedy film directed by Paul Michael Glaser and written by Tony Gilroy. The plot is about a very rich, spoiled figure skater who is paired with a has-been ice hockey player for Olympic figure skating...
(1992) (producer) - The Hand That Rocks the CradleThe Hand That Rocks the Cradle (film)The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is a 1992 American thriller about a vengeful nanny out to destroy a naïve woman and steal her family. The film was directed by Curtis Hanson, starring Annabella Sciorra, Rebecca De Mornay, and Matt McCoy...
(1992) (executive producer) - Imaginary CrimesImaginary CrimesImaginary Crimes is a 1994 film starring Harvey Keitel and Fairuza Balk, telling the story of Ray Weiler , a widowed hustler trying to raise two daughters in 1962 Portland, Oregon....
(1994) (executive producer) - Terminal VelocityTerminal Velocity (film)Terminal Velocity is a 1994 action movie starring Charlie Sheen as a daredevil skydiver who becomes mixed up with Russian spies. It was written by David Twohy and directed by Deran Sarafian. Originally, Sheen's role was written for Tom Cruise, although William Baldwin was also considered. The...
(1994) (executive producer) - JumanjiJumanji (film)Jumanji is a 1995 American fantasy-comedy film about a supernatural board game that makes wild animals and other jungle hazards materialize upon each player's move. It was directed by Joe Johnston and is based on Chris Van Allsburg's popular 1981 picture book of the same name...
(1995) (executive producer) - Two MuchTwo MuchTwo Much is a 1995 romantic screwball comedy film based on Donald Westlake's novel of the same name, and is also a remake of the 1984 French comedy film Le Jumeau, which was also based on Westlake's novel. Directed by Fernando Trueba, Two Much stars Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, Daryl Hannah...
(1995) (executive producer) - Separate Lives (1995) (executive producer)
- The Tie That BindsThe Tie That Binds (1995 film)The Tie That Binds is a 1995 thriller film, and the directing debut of screenwriter Wesley Strick. The film stars Daryl Hannah, Keith Carradine, Vincent Spano, Moira Kelly and Julia Devin...
(1995) (executive producer) - Operation Dumbo DropOperation Dumbo DropOperation Dumbo Drop is a 1995 American comedy-drama film directed by Simon Wincer. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Gene Quintano and Jim Kouf; based on a true story as depicted by United States Army Major Jim Morris...
(1995) (executive producer) - Roommates (1995) (producer)
- Mr. Holland's OpusMr. Holland's OpusMr. Holland's Opus is a 1995 American drama film directed by Stephen Herek, produced by Ted Field, Robert W. Cort, and Michael Nolin, and Executive Produced by Patrick Sheane Duncan. It stars Richard Dreyfuss in the title role, and the cast includes Glenne Headly, Olympia Dukakis, William H. Macy...
(1995) (producer) - The AssociateThe AssociateThe Associate is a 1996 film starring Whoopi Goldberg, Dianne Wiest, Eli Wallach, Timothy Daly, Bebe Neuwirth, Austin Pendleton and Lainie Kazan...
(1996) (executive producer) - KazaamKazaamKazaam is a 1996 comedy film directed by Paul M. Glaser and stars Shaquille O'Neal as the title character Kazaam, a genie who appears from a magic boombox to grant a boy three wishes.-Plot:...
(1996) (executive producer) - The ArrivalThe Arrival (film)The Arrival is a 1996 science fiction film directed by David Twohy and starring Charlie Sheen, and co-starring Lindsay Crouse, Richard Schiff, Ron Silver, and Teri Polo...
(1996) (executive producer) - BoysBoys (1996 film)Boys is a 1996 American film starring Winona Ryder and Lukas Haas. The film was originally titled The Girl You Want. The film earned $516,350 in the United States box office. It is based on a short story called "Twenty Minutes" by James Salter....
(1996) (executive producer) - Snow White: A Tale of TerrorSnow White: A Tale of TerrorSnow White: A Tale of Terror is a 1997 horror film based on the Snow White fairy tale. It stars Sigourney Weaver, Sam Neill and Monica Keena. The original music score is composed by John Ottman...
(1997) (executive producer) - Gridlock'dGridlock'dGridlock'd is a 1995 crime dramedy starring Tupac Shakur, Tim Roth, and Thandie Newton. It was the directorial debut of Vondie Curtis-Hall, who also wrote the story and screenplay. The film's opening was relatively low, despite critical acclaim; its opening weekend netted only $2,678,372 and it...
(1997) (executive producer) - What Dreams May ComeWhat Dreams May Come (film)What Dreams May Come is a 1998 American supernatural drama film, starring Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Annabella Sciorra. The film is based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Richard Matheson, and was directed by Vincent Ward. The title is taken from a line in Hamlet's To be, or not to...
(1998) (executive producer) - Very Bad ThingsVery Bad ThingsVery Bad Things is a 1998 black comedy directed by Peter Berg, based on the book by Gene Brewer. It stars Jon Favreau, Cameron Diaz, Christian Slater, Jeremy Piven, Daniel Stern, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Leland Orser.-Plot:...
(1998) (executive producer) - The Proposition (1998) (producer)
- Runaway BrideRunaway Bride (1999 film)Runaway Bride is a 1999 American romantic comedy film starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere and directed by Garry Marshall. The screenplay was written by Josann McGibbon, Audrey Wells and Sara Parriott.-Plot:...
(1999) (producer) - Teaching Mrs. TingleTeaching Mrs. TingleTeaching Mrs. Tingle is a 1999 black comedy film and the directing debut of screenwriter Kevin Williamson. The film stars Helen Mirren, Katie Holmes, Marisa Coughlan, Barry Watson and Jeffrey Tambor and was released on August 20, 1999. It was originally titled Killing Mrs...
(1999) (executive producer) - Pitch Black (2000) (executive producer)
- They (2002) (executive producer)
- The Last SamuraiThe Last SamuraiThe Last Samurai is a 2003 American epic drama film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay based on a story by John Logan. The film was inspired by a project developed by writer and director Vincent Ward, who had previously filmed the movie in 1990, starring...
(2003) (executive producer) - The Texas Chainsaw MassacreThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film)The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2003 remake of the 1974 horror film of the same name. The 2003 film was directed by Marcus Nispel and produced by Michael Bay...
(2003) (executive producer) - Le DivorceLe DivorceLe Divorce is a 2003 Merchant Ivory Productions' film directed by James Ivory and the screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and Ivory, based on Diane Johnson's bestselling novel.-Summary:...
(2003) (executive producer) - How to DealHow to DealHow to Deal is a 2003 film directed by Clare Kilner and starring Mandy Moore, Allison Janney and Trent Ford. It is based on two novels by Sarah Dessen, That Summer and Someone Like You.-Plot:...
(2003) (executive producer) - The Chronicles of RiddickThe Chronicles of RiddickThe Chronicles of Riddick is a 2004 American science fiction film which follows the adventures of Richard B. Riddick, as he attempts to elude capture after the events depicted in the 2000 film Pitch Black, and details his meeting with Jack and Imam, his escape from the prison planet Crematoria, and...
(2004) (executive producer) - The Amityville HorrorThe Amityville Horror (2005 film)The Amityville Horror is a 2005 horror film directed by Andrew Douglas. It is a remake of the 1979 film of the same name which itself was based on the 1977 novel of the same name by Jay Anson, which documents the alleged experiences of the Lutz family after they moved into a house in Long Island...
(2005) (executive producer) - ZathuraZathura (film)Zathura: A Space Adventure is a 2005 fantasy science fiction film directed by Jon Favreau, and is loosely based on the illustrated book Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg, author of Jumanji. It stars Jonah Bobo as Danny and Josh Hutcherson as Walter. Tim Robbins also had a small role as the boys'...
(2005) (executive producer) - Waist DeepWaist DeepWaist Deep is a 2006 drama-action film directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall, starring Tyrese Gibson and Meagan Good. It is loosely based on the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde, including some similar subplots including the two main characters on the road, trying to avoid police, and committing bank...
(2006) (executive producer) - The Heartbreak KidThe Heartbreak Kid (2007 film)The Heartbreak Kid is a 2007 romantic comedy film directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly. Starring Ben Stiller and Malin Åkerman, The Heartbreak Kid is a remake of the italian film Luna di miele in tre and a version of the 1972 film of the same name. Also starring are Michelle Monaghan, Jerry...
(2007) (producer) - Swing VoteSwing Vote (2008 film)Swing Vote is a 2008 comedy-drama film about an entire U.S. presidential election determined by the vote of one man. It was directed by Joshua Michael Stern and starred Kevin Costner, Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci, George Lopez and Madeline Carroll...
(2008) (executive producer) - All About SteveAll About SteveAll About Steve is a 2009 American comedy film, directed by Phil Traill, which stars Sandra Bullock, Thomas Haden Church and Bradley Cooper. It is distributed by 20th Century Fox...
(2009) (executive producer) - Horseman (2009) (executive producer)
- Everybody's Fine (2009) (producer)
- The Box (2009) (executive producer)
- The Invention of LyingThe Invention of LyingThe Invention of Lying is a 2009 fantasy romantic comedy film that is written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson. This film is the directorial debut of Gervais. The film stars Ricky Gervais as the first human with the ability to lie...
(2009) (executive producer) - TwelveTwelve (film)Twelve is a 2010 crime film directed by Joel Schumacher. The film was written by Jordan Melamed, adapted from the novel of the same name by Nick McDonell. The film tells a story of drug addiction, violence, and sex among wealthy teenagers from Manhattan's Upper East Side...
(2010) (producer) - Bad TeacherBad TeacherBad Teacher is a 2011 comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan based on a screenplay by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, and starring Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, and Jason Segel...
(2011) (executive producer)
See also
- Madsen, Axel. The Marshall Fields: The Evolution of an American Business Dynasty. Wiley: 2002.
External links
- Filmbug: Ted Field biography