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Dawn Steel Biography (1946-)

Born August 19, 1946, in the Bronx, New York, NY; died of a brain tumor, December 20, 1997, in Los Angeles, CA; daughter of Nat (a zipper salesperson andweight lifter; born Nat Spielberg, legally changed surname to Steel) and Lillian (an electronics executive) Steel; married Ron Rothstein (an entrepreneur), 1975 (divorced, c. 1975); married Charles Roven (a producer), 1985; children: (second marriage) Rebecca. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Jewish. Avocational interests: Hiking, political activism. Career:Producer, studio executive, writer, editor, and entrepreneur. Stadia Publishing, sportswriter for Major League Baseball Digest and N.F.L.,1968-69; Penthouse magazine, editor, 1969-75, also worked as a secretary and director of merchandise at the magazine; Oh Dawn!, Inc., entrepreneurand president, 1975-78; Playboy magazine, vice president of merchandising, 1978-79; Paramount Pictures, vice president of merchandising, 1979-80, vice president of production, 1980-83, senior vice president of production, 1983-85, president of production, 1985-87; Columbia Pictures, president, 1987-90; American Film Institute, member of the board of directors, 1988-90; SteelPictures, founder, 1990, executive, 1990-97; University of California, Los Angeles, School of Theatre, Film and Television, member of the dean's advisoryboard, 1993-97; Atlas Entertainment, founder (with Charles Roven and Bob Cavollo), 1994; Claremont College, Home Education Network, member of the board ofdirectors. Member: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, American Film Institute, National Organization of Women Legal Defense Fund. Awards, Honors: Crystal Award, Women in Film, 1989.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

producer, executive, writer, editor, entrepreneur

Birth Details

August 19, 1946

Bronx, New York, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Work
• Producer
• Flashdance, Paramount, 1983
• Footloose, Paramount, 1984
• Top Gun, Paramount, 1986
• Beverly Hills Cop II, Paramount, 1987
• Fatal Attraction, Paramount, 1987
• The Untouchables, Paramount, 1987
• The Accused, Paramount, 1988
• Postcards from the Edge, Columbia, 1990
• Flatliners, Columbia, 1990
• Awakenings, Columbia, 1990
• Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (also known as Big Baby and Honey, I Blew Up the Baby), Buena Vista, 1992
• Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Buena Vista, 1993
• Cool Runnings, Buena Vista, 1993
• Angus, New Line Cinema, 1995
• Fallen, Warner Bros., 1998
• City of Angels, Warner Bros., 1998
• Television Producer
• For Our Children, The Disney Channel, 1993
• Television Appearances
• Episodic
• Naked Hollywood, Arts and Entertainment, 1991
• WRITINGS
• Memoirs
• They Can Kill You, but They Can't Eat You: Lessons from the Front,Simon & Schuster (New York City), 1993

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

• Cosmopolitan, October 1993, p. 30; September, 1996, pp. 260-264.
• Entertainment Weekly, August 6, 1993, p. 51; September 17, 1993, p. 83; January 9, 1998, pp. 14, 47.
• Independent December 24, 1997, (London), p. 14.
• People Weekly, October 25, 1993, pp. 164-167; January 12, 1998, pp. 81-82.
• Playboy, August 25, 1995, pp. 106-108.
• Premiere, June 25, 1998, pp. 92-96, 98, 108, 110, 115.
• Publishers Weekly, September 20, 1993, p. 55.
• Time, January 12, 1998, p. 31.
• Variety, January 5, 1998, p. 90.*