James G. Robinson, a former auto executive who co-founded Morgan Creek Entertainment with Joe Roth and had producer credits on films such as “Ace Ventura” and “True Romance,” died on February 15, according to an obituary from his family. He was 90 years old.
Robinson famously sparred with Lindsay Lohan during the production of Morgan Creek’s Georgia Rules in 2006 and sent her a letter accusing her of being “rude, irresponsible and unprofessional.” He described her as a “spoiled child” and said she “put the quality of this picture at risk”. “We needed that letter to get her back to work,” director Garry Marshall told Variety at the film’s premiere.
Born in Baltimore, Robinson had a successful career in the car business, starting out providing bridge financing for Hollywood films and then moving into producing.
Robinson, along with experienced Hollywood executive Joe Roth, helped finance and launch Morgan Creek in 1988. The shingle went on to produce films such as the hit Ace Ventura series, Young Guns, Dead Ringers, Pacific Heights, The Last of the Mohicans, and Robin Hood: The Man in Tights.
Robinson most recently had credits in 2023’s “The Exorcist: Believer” and the “Dead Ringers” TV series.
Robinson told Variety magazine in 1997, “I don’t think there’s any pain and there’s no short-term gain when you’re working in a nice, comfortable studio.” “The bottom line is, the best feeling in the world is when you make a movie that you know is good and it plays extraordinarily well. It’s an emotional home run.”
His son, David Robinson, is president of Morgan Creek Entertainment Group.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Barbara Lois Robinson; sons, Michael Joseph Robinson (Dawn), James Patrick Robinson, Matthew Brian Robinson (Kim), David Christopher Robinson (Susan), and Thomas Vernon West; and his daughter, Elizabeth Robinson DeVilliers (David).
