BERMAN, PANDRO S.

BERMAN, PANDRO S. (1905–1996), U.S. film producer. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Berman was responsible for the production of 85 films for RKO, including the Ginger Rogers-Fred Astaire musicals. Born into the film industry, Berman's father, Henry, was general manager of Universal Pictures during Hollywood's formative years. Pandro spent most of the 1920s learning the business. He started out as a script clerk and then rose to film editor. By 1931, the 26-year-old Berman was an assistant director at RKO when david o. selznick took over the floundering studio. Selznick fired many people at RKO, but he saw something in Berman and made him his assistant. Berman was a success and, as a producer, brought to the screen many stars and great films. It was he who paired Rogers with Astaire, made Katherine Hepburn a star, and brought elizabeth taylor to public attention. In 1940 he signed a contract with MGM. In 1963, when an MGM power play diminished his authority, Berman left to do independent work. Berman's productions include The Gay Divorcee (1934); Top Hat (1935); Shall We Dance (1937); Stage Door (1937); The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939); National Velvet (1945); The Seventh Cross (1944); The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945); Of Human Bondage (1948); Madam Bovary (1949); Father of the Bride (1950); The Prisoner of Zenda (1952); Ivanhoe (1952); The Blackboard Jungle (1955); Tea and Sympathy (1956); Something of Value (1957); Jailhouse Rock (1957); The Brothers Karamazov (1958); Butterfield 8 (1960); Sweet Bird of Youth (1962); The Prize (1963); A Patch of Blue (1965); Justine (1969); and Move (1970). In 1977 Berman received the Irving Thalberg Award at the 49th annual Academy Awards. -ADD. BIBLIOGRAPHY: M. Steen, Hollywood Speaks: An Oral History (1974). (Ruth Beloff (2nd ed.)