Susan B. Landau

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Susan B. Landau | image = | birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1952|3|31}} | birth_place = [[Brooklyn]], New York | birthname = | death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|2017|5|31|1952|3|31}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California | spouse = | children = | occupation = Film producer, photographer | years_active = }}

'''Susan B. Landau''' (March 31, 1952 – May 31, 2017) was an American film producer, television producer, [[talent manager]], and photographer whose credits included ''[[Mr. Destiny]]'' in 1990, ''[[Cool Runnings]]'' in 1993, ''[[An Ideal Husband (1999 film)|An Ideal Husband]]'' in 1999, and the 2000 television film, ''[[Mary and Rhoda]]''.<ref name=dline>{{cite news |first=Greg |last=Evans |title=Susan B. Landau Dies: 'Cool Runnings' Producer Was 65 |url=https://deadline.com/2017/06/susan-landau-dies-cool-runnings-producer-obituary-1202109258/ |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=June 7, 2017 |accessdate=25 June 2017}}</ref><ref name=thr>{{cite news |first=Lauren |last=Huff |title=Susan Landau, Producer and Manager, Dies at 65 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/susan-landau-dead-producer-manager-was-65-1011378 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=June 7, 2017 |accessdate=25 June 2017}}</ref><ref name=variety>{{cite news |first=Pat |last=Saperstein |title=Producer and Manager Susan Landau Dies at 65 |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/susan-landau-dead-dies-1202457552/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=June 7, 2017 |accessdate=25 June 2017}}</ref>

==Biography== Landau and her twin brother, Paul, were born in [[Brooklyn]], New York, to [[Sidney Landau]], a [[studio executive]] at [[United Artists]], and Bea Landau.<ref name=dline/><ref name=thr/> She attended [[Springfield Gardens High School]] in [[Queens]], New York, and received a [[bachelor's degree]] political science from [[Brandeis University]] in 1974.<ref name=thr/>

She [[executive producer|executive produced]] 1983's ''[[Tiger Town]]'', the first television film produced by the [[Disney Channel]], which won a 1984 [[CableACE Award]] for Best Dramatic Film, as well as the ''[[Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color|Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color: Young Harry Houdini]]'' in 1987, which earned her a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program|Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Children's Program]].<ref name=dline/><ref name=thr/><ref name=variety/>

Landau was best known for producing the 1993 comedic film, ''[[Cool Runnings]]'', which was loosely based on the [[Jamaica national bobsleigh team]]'s [[1988 Winter Olympics]] debut. Her other film production credits included ''[[Mr. Destiny]]'' in 1990, the 1999 documentary ''[[Get Bruce]]'', ''[[An Ideal Husband (1999 film)|An Ideal Husband]]'' in 1999, and ''[[All Over the Guy]]'' in 2001.<ref name=dline/> She teamed with actress [[Mary Tyler Moore]] to co-executive produce the 2000 television film, ''[[Mary and Rhoda]]'', based on the 1970s sitcom, ''[[The Mary Tyler Moore Show]]''.

In the [[United States Senate election in California, 1992|1992 California race]] for [[U.S. Senate]], Landau fundraised on behalf of Senate candidate [[Barbara Boxer]], a Democrat.<ref name=thr/> Boxer, who won the 1992 Senate election, credited Landau with boosting her campaign and her political career, telling an interviewer in 2017, "Susan Landau was a one-of-a-kind and I honestly believe that without her energetic support, I never would have been elected to the Senate in 1992."<ref name=thr/><ref name=variety/>

Additionally, Landau also worked as a [[talent manager]] representing others within the entertainment industry, including screenwriter [[Simon Beaufoy]] (writer of ''[[Slumdog Millionaire]]'', ''[[Salmon Fishing in the Yemen]]'', and ''[[The Hunger Games: Catching Fire]]''); actor [[Dan Bucatinsky]] (''[[Scandal (TV series)|Scandal]]''); director [[Stephen Surjik]] (''[[Wayne's World 2]]''), whom she represented for 21 years; and producer [[Christopher Hollier]] (''[[The Originals (TV series)|The Originals]]'').<ref name=dline/><ref name=thr/><ref name=variety/> According to Beaufoy, he and Landau spoke almost daily for 25 years.<ref name=thr/> Hollier praised her abilities as a manager, "there's never been someone more talented at bringing talent out in others. Director, producer, writer – no one could have a better friend in this town."<ref name=thr/>

Landau transitioned to photography beginning in 2007.<ref name=thr/> Her subjects included the [[Stand Up to Cancer]] [[telethon]], which had been co-founded by her friend, the late film producer [[Laura Ziskin]]. The two had been friends since their work on the set of the 1978 film, ''[[Eyes of Laura Mars]]'' and Landau later published "Laura Ziskin: Collective Memories & Photographs."<ref name=thr/> Her other subjects included the cast and crew of [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime's]] ''[[Web Therapy (TV series)|Web Therapy]]'', as well as the producers of five [[Academy Awards]] shows.<ref name=thr/> In 2017, Landau published another photo collection, "The [[Brown bear|Brown Bear]]s of [[Alaska]]."<ref name=thr/>

Landau died following a brief illness at [[Cedars-Sinai Medical Center]] in Los Angeles on May 31, 2017, at the age of 65.<ref name=dline/><ref name=thr/> She was survived by her older brothers, Arthur and Avraham, her twin brother, Paul, and four nieces.<ref name=dline/><ref name=thr/>

==Filmography== ''She was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.''

===Film=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Credit ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- | 1983 || ''The American Snitch'' || || |- | 1990 || ''[[Mr. Destiny]]'' || Co-producer || |- | 1993 || ''[[Cool Runnings]]'' || Executive producer || |- | 1995 || ''[[Angus (film)|Angus]]'' || Executive producer || |- | 1999 || ''[[An Ideal Husband (1999 film)|An Ideal Husband]]'' || Executive producer || |- | 2001 || ''[[All Over the Guy]]'' || Executive producer || |- | 2002 || ''[[Crazy Little Thing]]'' || || |- | 2007 || ''[[Marigold (2007 film)|Marigold]]'' || Executive producer || |- | 2009 || ''[[Road, Movie]]'' || || Final film as a producer |}

;Miscellaneous crew

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role |- |rowspan=2| 1975 || ''[[The Happy Hooker (film)|The Happy Hooker]]'' ||rowspan=3| Production assistant |- | ''[[Breakheart Pass (film)|Breakheart Pass]]'' |- | 1976 || ''[[Burnt Offerings (film)|Burnt Offerings]]'' |- | 1978 || ''[[Eyes of Laura Mars]]'' || Special project assistant |- | 1979 || ''[[Last Embrace]]'' || Assistant to producers |}

;As an actress

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role |- | 1977 || ''[[Andy Warhol's Bad]]'' || Girl in Theater |}

;Thanks

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role |- | 2008 || ''[[For a Moment, Freedom]]'' || Thanks |}

===Television=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" |- align="center" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Credit ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- | 1983 || ''[[Tiger Town]]'' || || Television film |- | 1985 || ''[[The Blue Yonder]]'' || || Television film |- | 1986 || ''The Leftovers'' || Executive producer || Television film |- | 1987 || ''Young Harry Houdini'' || Executive producer || Television film |- | 1988 || ''[[14 Going on 30]]'' || || Television film |- | 1993 || ''Spies'' || Executive producer || Television film |- | 2000 || ''[[Mary and Rhoda]]'' || Executive producer || Television film |- | 2001 || ''[[Princess of Thieves]]'' || Executive producer || Television film |- | 2003 || ''[[Great Performances]]'' || Executive producer || |}

;Miscellaneous crew

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role |- | 2003 || ''[[Great Performances]]'' || Creative consultant |}

;Camera and electrical department

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role |- | 2012 || ''The Unwritten Rules'' || Still photographer |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0484489|name=Susan B. Landau}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Landau, Susan B.}} [[Category:1952 births]] [[Category:2017 deaths]] [[Category:Film producers from New York City]] [[Category:Television producers from New York City]] [[Category:American women television producers]] [[Category:CableACE Award winners]] [[Category:Talent managers]] [[Category:American photographers]] [[Category:Brandeis University alumni]] [[Category:Filmmakers from Brooklyn]] [[Category:American women film producers]]