Barry Reardon Dead: Warner Bros Distribution Executive Behind ‘The Batman’ & ‘The Fugitive’ Movies

May 22, 2023

D. Barry Reardon, former longtime Warner Bros. President of Sales and Distribution, has died at 92. The exec known as "The Dean of Distribution" among industry peers and filmmakers passed May 27 in Vero Beach, FL.

Reardon was head of theatrical distribution at Warner Bros from 1978-99 and was known for breaking the mold on the motion picture business, i.e. getting a jumpstart on summer before Memorial Day — Twister opened in mid-May 1996 in advance of Paramount's Tom Cruise juggernaut, Mission: Impossible — and dating blockbusters during the early days of August, previously considered a dead zone. Among films in the latter category were Clint Eastwood's eventual Best Picture Oscar winner, Unforgiven, in 1992, and the Harrison Ford hit The Fugitive in 1993. The latter pic's late producer Arnold Kopelson told the L.A. Times that the dating maneuver was "pure genius."

Also before his departure from Warner Bros. in March 1999, Reardon had developed an internal marketing data system with fellow executives that was ahead of its time, tracking rivals’ trailers from the previous 10 years, their grosses and actors’ track records with box office and critics. This allowed executives to steer a film with a particular actor away from a critic who has had problems with that actor. The data system also broke down production and marketing costs, as well as audience demos for all major motion picture studios.

During Reardon's run as Warner Bros. Distribution boss, the studio ranked among the top three in North American box-office market share for 16 out of his 20 years, placing first eight times and second five times. The Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher Batman movies were released during Reardon's reign, grossing $1.25 billion worldwide through four movies, in addition to the four Lethal Weapon movies, which racked up close to $1 billion worldwide. Reardon also was a big champion for Chariots of Fire and Driving Miss Daisy, which became Oscar Best Picture winners for 1981 and 1989, respectively, and were tentpoles in their day.

Reardon not only mentored current-day distribution bosses including Warner Bros. President of Domestic Distribution Jeff Goldstein but also was the gold standard to some of the greats.

In a 1999 Los Angeles Times profile on Reardon, the late Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone, a longtime friend of the exec, said: "Barry was one competitor who insisted on getting his way. … The clincher was he did it in such a gentlemanly way it could really be irritating."

Tom Sherak, chairman of 20th Century Fox's Domestic Film Group, told the L.A. Times: "Barry singlehandedly changed the way distribution is looked at as an art form in the business today."

Exclaimed Goldstein in an internal email to staff: "He was THE O.G. ‘Dean of Distribution’ whose many accomplishments are legendary. His mentorship has inspired generations of entertainment leaders. The impact of his legacy is long lived. Warner Bros is a better company because of his leadership. Our lives were enriched by his friendship."

Reardon was born on March 8, 1931, to David and Anne Cotter Reardon in Hartford, CT. He graduated from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, in 1953 with a bachelor's degree ineconomics. He worked for U.S. Army Intelligence in Europe from 1953-36 and earned an MBA in economics from Trinity College after returning to the States.

After his first job at United Technologies, Reardon worked for Litton Industries in its Eureka-Carlisle Division in Scranton, PA, until 1967. At that time, it was the largest printer of trading stamps and seals in the world and the second-largest printer of catalogs in the United States. He was the purchasing agent for the paper they needed, which is how he met his wife Marsha, who worked for the paper supplier.

In 1967, Reardon began his career in the entertainment business. He joined Paramount Pictures in NYC as the associate to the VP Finance. Then he moved to marketing and distribution as VP and Assistant to the President. In 1975, he joined General Cinema Corporation in Boston, in charge of marketing and film procurement. At that time General Cinema was the largest movie circuit in the US. He was recruited by Warner Bros in 1978, and the family moved to Los Angeles. This turned out to be his "dream job."

ShoWest, the exhibition confab forerunner of CinemaCon, honored Reardon with the title "Dean of Distribution."

Reardon retired in Vero Beach, spending summers in Wilmington, VT. I first heard about Reardon in high school during the late 1980s, growing up in Southern Vermont: My mother came home one day to tell me that a big Hollywood exec from Warner Bros. was opening a cinema in the nearby ski haven of Dover, a hub he owned for several years.

Reardon is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marsha, and his daughter Lisa.

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