Youthful studio executive who worked his way up from the proverbially mail room to executive production positions at Warner Bros. in the 1980s where he played a central role in the greenlighting of such socially and racially relevant films as "New Jack City" (1991) and Spike Lee's "Malcolm X" (1992). Noted for his ability to make rapid decisions and his creative relationships with such Hollywood talent as Barbra Streisand, Richard Donner, Tim Burton and James Brooks, Canton left his position as executive vice president of worldwide motion picture production at Warner Bros. in 1991 to join his former colleague, Sony Pictures Entertainment chief Peter Guber, as president of Columbia Pictures with an agenda to accelerate the number of projects. After nearly five years at the helm, Canton resigned from Columbia in September 1996.
Family
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Brother: Neil Canton. older; produced Back to the Future films
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Daughter: Dorothy Canton. born c. 1989
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Father: Arthur Canton. worked as publicity aide to filmmakers Alfred Hitchcock and Sam Spiegel; his Canton-Weiner Films made the 1949 Oscar winning short Van Gogh ; later worked as publicity executive with MGM, Blowitz, Thomas & Canton Inc (1964-), Warners, Columbia
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Mother: Shirley Canton. died May 1996
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Son: Henry Canton. born c. July 1991
Significant Others
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Companion: Aimee Peyronnet.
Education
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P S 169, Bayside, New York
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University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
Milestones
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1973 Became assistant to director-producer Franklin Schaffner on Papillon
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1978 Joined MGM as vice president, motion picture development
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1979 Became executive vice president, Jon Peters Organization
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1980 Joined Warner Bros. as vice president of production
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1983 Appointed senior vice president of production, Warner Bros.
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1985 Promoted to president, worldwide theatrical production
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1989 Appointed vice president, worldwide motion picture production, Warner Bros.
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1991 Appointed chairman of Columbia Pictures replacing Frank Price (October 4)
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1991 Warner Bros. announced Canton would leave the company by mutual agreement (September)
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1996 Resigned as chairman of Columbia Pictures (September 13)
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1997 Formed The Canton Co., an independent production company
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1997 Signed exclusive three-year production deal with Warner Bros.
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2002 Joined Artists Production Group (APG) as a partner; also served as chair and CEO
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Began professional career as assistant to Mike Medavoy when he was president of production at UA (earning $117.80 per week)
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Grew up in Bayside in Queens, New York; family also owned apartment in Manhattan and beach house in Westhampton, Long Island
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Named executive vice president, worldwide motion picture production, Warner Bros.
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Served as one of the producers of Jack & Jill (The WB)
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Worked in Warner Bros. mail room while a student at UCLA