Pandro Samuel Berman, also known as Pan Berman, was a renowned American film producer, who made significant contributions to the industry throughout his illustrious career.
Initially, Berman worked as an assistant director under the guidance of Mal St. Clair and Ralph Ince during the 1920s. He later moved to RKO Radio Pictures in 1930, where he began his journey as a film editor, eventually becoming an assistant producer.
When the supervising producer, William LeBaron, unexpectedly left during the production of the ill-fated film "The Gay Diplomat" in 1931, Berman took over his responsibilities and remained in the post until 1939. His exceptional work during this period did not go unnoticed, as he managed to survive the mass firing of RKO staff by David O. Selznick, who had recently taken over as chief of production.
Selznick entrusted Berman with the task of producing the adaptation of Fannie Hurst's short story "Night Bell," which was later retitled "Symphony of Six Million." The film was a groundbreaking success, and Berman's dedication to restoring references to ethnic life in the Jewish ghetto earned him praise from both Selznick and himself, who considered it his "first good movie" as a producer.
During his tenure at RKO, Berman oversaw the production of numerous iconic films, including the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers musicals, Katharine Hepburn's rise to fame, and RKO classics such as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Gunga Din" (both 1939).
However, when an RKO power play diminished his authority, Berman left for MGM in 1940, where he went on to produce a wide range of films, including "Ziegfeld Girl" (1941),"National Velvet" (1944),"The Bribe" (1949),"Father of the Bride" (1950),"Blackboard Jungle" (1955),and "Butterfield 8" (1960).
Throughout his career, Berman demonstrated remarkable resilience, surviving several executive shake-ups at MGM and remaining there until 1963. He then transitioned to independent production, concluding his career with the unsuccessful film "Move" in 1970.
Berman's outstanding contributions to the film industry were recognized with the 1976 Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. Notably, six of his films were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: "The Gay Divorcee" (1934),"Alice Adams" and "Top Hat" (both 1935),"Stage Door" (1937),"Father of the Bride" (1950),and "Ivanhoe" (1952).
Pandro Samuel Berman passed away on July 13, 1996, at the age of 91, due to congestive heart failure, in his Beverly Hills home. He was laid to rest at the Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City, California.
