Spartan Profiles: Warren Zide

HOLLYWOOD’S YOUTH ZIDEGEIST

             One of 1999's surprise hits was the teen comedy American Pie, in which high school seniors ponder whether to attend Michigan or Michigan State. In real life, the movie’s producer Warren Zide, '88, president of Zide/Perry Entertainment, Beverly Hills, CA, chose to attend MSU. A top literary manager in film, Zide, also produced The Big Hit (1998), starring Mark Wahlberg and Christina Applegate, and was named one of the 'Top Ten People In Hollywood You Need To Know' by Fade-In magazine.

             “We have many different projects that also appeal to adults,” says Warren. “We definitely saw ahead of time that the youth market was going to be very profitable. American Pie cost $12 million to make and grossed more than $200 million worldwide.”

             At MSU, which he recalls as “my puberty place,” Warren majored in finance and developed a world-view not unlike that of the fictional Gordon Gekko of Wall Street. He also looks up to fellow Spartan Sam Raimi, one of Hollywood’s top director-producer. “He was my camp counselor at Camp Tamakwa (Canada),” recalls Warren. “He’s been a real influence in everything I’ve done.”

             Warren had always loved the movies. After MSU, he went to Hollywood and started at the bottom—in the mailroom at New Line Cinema, where he met future partner Craig Perry. He then worked at International Creative Management. In 1994, he began his management business and became one of Hollywood’s top literary managers, selling 80 spec scripts in 60 months. He now has movies in production with Sony and New Line Cinema, and boasts a two-year production deal with Warner Brothers.

             The Hollywood press has raved about his success, calling him a “sage” in “getting teen movies set up at the studios.” Call it the new Hollywood Zidegeist.