# Jonathan Prince

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{{short description|American actor (b. 1958)}}
{{Distinguish|Jonathan Price}}
{{Infobox person
| name         = Jonathan Prince
| image        = <!-- only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people. Non-free and "fair use" images, e.g. promo photos, CD/DVD covers, posters, screen captures, etc., will be deleted - see [WP:NONFREE](/source/WP%3ANONFREE) -->
| image_size   = 150px
| birth_name   = Jonathan Alexander Prince
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1958|8|16}}
| birth_place  = [Beverly Hills, California](/source/Beverly_Hills%2C_California)
| occupation   = {{flatlist|
* Actor
* director
* screenwriter
* movie producer}}
| years_active = 1981&ndash;present
| spouse       = {{marriage|[Julie Warner](/source/Julie_Warner)|1995|2010|end=divorced}}
}}

'''Jonathan Alexander Prince''' (born August 16, 1958) is an American actor, director, screenwriter and movie producer.

==Career==
Prince embarked on an acting career following graduation from [Harvard University](/source/Harvard_University).<ref>{{cite news |last=Seipp |first=Catherine |title=Cathy's World: 'American Dreams'
|date=May 14, 2003 |agency=[United Press International](/source/United_Press_International) |url=https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2003/05/14/Cathys-World-American-Dreams/90121052926733/ |access-date=26 August 2024}}</ref> He played Leo in the 1981 CBS series ''[Mr. Merlin](/source/Mr._Merlin)'', Roy in the 1983 sex comedy ''[Private School](/source/Private_School_(film))'' and Zach Armstrong in the 1986 syndicated sitcom ''[Throb](/source/Throb_(TV_series))''. He also hosted ''The [Quiz Kids Challenge](/source/Quiz_Kids_Challenge)'' in 1990. Prince said he decided to expand into other aspects of show business while working on ''Mr. Merlin''. Prince's next break came when [George Burns](/source/George_Burns) asked him to co-write and produce Burns' feature film ''[18 Again!](/source/18_Again!)''. That led to a job as consultant on the ''Whatever Became of...?'' television specials, where Prince met [Dick Clark](/source/Dick_Clark).

The meeting with Dick Clark led to the creation of ''[American Dreams](/source/American_Dreams)'', set in the period 1963–1967 and tracking the lives of one Catholic family. Clark's ''[American Bandstand](/source/American_Bandstand)'' is a key part of the story, as each episode incorporates musical performances from the show. Prince is listed as the creator and an executive producer.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Littleton |first1=Cynthia |title='American Dreams' relevant to today's news |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/american-dreams-relevant-todays-news-1c9481060 |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=[Today](/source/Today_(American_TV_program)) |date=November 16, 2004 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Margolis |first1=Seth |title=COVER STORY; The 60's Saga Continues |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/02/arts/television/cover-story-the-60s-saga-continues.html |access-date=26 August 2024 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2 January 2005}}</ref> Prince negotiated with advertisers like [Kraft Foods](/source/Kraft_Foods) and [Campbell Soup Company](/source/Campbell_Soup_Company) to place its products into the show.<ref name="squires">{{cite news |last1=Squires |first1=Chase |title=TV redefines the role of ads |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2005/08/02/tv-redefines-the-role-of-ads/ |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}}</ref> For example, one of his characters participated in Campbell Soup's essay writing contest in a continuing story line.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Manly |first1=Lorne |title=On Television, Brands Go From Props to Stars |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/02/business/yourmoney/on-television-brands-go-from-props-to-stars.html |access-date=December 8, 2025 |newspaper=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |date=October 2, 2005 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

After American Dreams was not renewed by NBC, Prince signed a development deal with the [branded entertainment](/source/branded_content) firm, Madison Road Entertainment, in 2005.<ref name="squires" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Schneider |first1=Michael |title=Prince will hit TV road for Madison |url=https://variety.com/2005/scene/markets-festivals/prince-will-hit-tv-road-for-madison-1117926581/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |magazine=[Variety](/source/Variety_(magazine)) |date=July 27, 2005}}</ref> He wrote the script for ''Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen'', which featured marketers Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola Co. and Campbell's Soup.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Graser |first1=Marc |title=Wal-Mart Plays Big Role in Bringing New Christmas Film to Masses |url=https://adage.com/article/madisonvine-news/wal-mart-plays-big-role-bringing-christmas-film-masses/113232 |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=Ad Age |date=15 November 2006 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

In 2021, Prince and film producer [Peter Samuelson](/source/Peter_Samuelson) started the company, Philmco, to produce movies and TV shows with a built-in philanthropic component.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Littleton |first1=Cynthia |title=Industry Veterans Launch PhilmCo Production Banner to Back Movies and TV Shows With a Message |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/jonathan-prince-peter-samuelson-philmco-catherine-hardwicke-1235083540/ |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=Variety |date=8 October 2021 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Prince was married to actress [Julie Warner](/source/Julie_Warner) from 1995 until 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jonathan A. Prince and Julie Warner |newspaper=The New York Times |department=Style: Wedding & Celebrations |date=1995-06-18 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/18/style/weddings-jonathan-a-prince-and-julie-warner.html |access-date=2024-08-27 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310104022/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/18/style/weddings-jonathan-a-prince-and-julie-warner.html |archive-date=2016-03-10 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=Jonathan Prince Vs Julie Warner: Entry of Judgement| url=https://unicourt.com/case/ca-la22-jonathan-prince-vs-julie-warner-813499| date=July 16, 2010| via=UniCourt| access-date=December 8, 2025}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name}}
* [http://www.vidiot.com/AmericanDreams/Bio/Prince.html Jonathan Prince interview on ''American Dreams'']

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prince, Jonathan}}
Category:1958 births
Category:Living people
Category:American male film actors
Category:American game show hosts
Category:American male television actors
Category:Harvard University alumni
Category:Jewish American male actors
Category:Male actors from Beverly Hills, California
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American Jews

{{US-tv-actor-1950s-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jonathan Prince](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Prince) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Prince?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.