William “Bill” Bernstein, who spent six decades in the motion picture business, died today at age 87, according to his longtime friend, Jeff Frankel.
In 1978, Bernstein, along with four other executives from United Artists, including Arthur Krim, Eric Pleskow, Mike Medavoy and Robert Benjamin, departed United Artists to found Orion Pictures. Mr. Bernstein conceived of the name of the studio. In an interview with the New York Times in 1992, Mr. Bernstein was quoted as follows: “Orion is the largest constellation; it has five stars, just like us…..”
Bernstein was an executive vice president during the time the company distributed such pictures as Amadeus”, “Platoon”, “Dances with Wolves” and “The Silence of the Lambs”, all of which won Academy Awards for Best Picture. Dances with Wolves won seven Academy Awards, and The Silence of the Lambs won all five major Academy Awards (a feat that has only occurred three times in history).
Born in the Bronx,
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In 1978, Bernstein, along with four other executives from United Artists, including Arthur Krim, Eric Pleskow, Mike Medavoy and Robert Benjamin, departed United Artists to found Orion Pictures. Mr. Bernstein conceived of the name of the studio. In an interview with the New York Times in 1992, Mr. Bernstein was quoted as follows: “Orion is the largest constellation; it has five stars, just like us…..”
Bernstein was an executive vice president during the time the company distributed such pictures as Amadeus”, “Platoon”, “Dances with Wolves” and “The Silence of the Lambs”, all of which won Academy Awards for Best Picture. Dances with Wolves won seven Academy Awards, and The Silence of the Lambs won all five major Academy Awards (a feat that has only occurred three times in history).
Born in the Bronx,
