Lawrence Kasanoff Explained

Lawrence Kasanoff
Birth Name:Lawrence Alan Kasanoff
Birth Date:1 June 1959
Birth Place:Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Education:Cornell University (BA)
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (MBA)
Occupation:Film producer
Othername:Larry Kasanoff

Lawrence Alan "Larry" Kasanoff (born June 1, 1959) is an American film producer who founded the Vestron Pictures genre subsidiary Lightning Pictures in 1986,[1] Lightstorm Entertainment with James Cameron in 1990, and Threshold Entertainment in 1993.

Career

Kasanoff graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and later received a Master of Business Administration degree from University of Pennsylvania.[2]

He is known for films such as the Mortal Kombat movie franchise including the 1995 Mortal Kombat, its 1997 sequel Mortal Kombat Annihilation and its spin-off series and . He became involved with the franchise after working on Terminator 2 with Lightstorm Entertainment, which was overtaken by Mortal Kombat as the most successful arcade game in 1993. His company Threshold Entertainment was started with the purpose of producing the first Mortal Kombat film and other Mortal Kombat media spin-offs.[3] Kasanoff later served as executive producer of the 2021 reboot of Mortal Kombat.

Other films produced by Kasanoff include Blood Diner, Blue Steel, True Lies, and . He also directed and produced the 2012 Threshold Entertainment animated film Foodfight!, which was originally intended to be released in 2003.

In 2023, Kasanoff released a self-help book titled A Touch of the Madness: How to Be More Innovative in Work and Life… by Being a Little Crazy.[4]

Filmography

Films

YearFilmRoleNotes
1987Party CampExecutive producer
Blood Diner
The UnderachieversRole: Studio Exec
The Beat
1988 You Can't Hurry Love
Dangerous Curves
1989Dream a Little Dream
Far from Home
She's Back
1990Blue Steel[5]
Class of 1999
A Gnome Named Gnorm
Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to CollegeDirect-to-video
1994True Lies
1995Mortal KombatProducer
Mortal Kombat: The Journey BeginsDirect-to-video
Strange DaysExecutive producer
1996Director
1997Mortal Kombat AnnihilationProducer, Story
1999BeowulfProducer
2009Executive producerDirect-to-video
2011
2012Marvel Super Heroes 4DShort
Foodfight!Producer, director, screenwriterVoice of Cheasel T. Weasel[6]
2015Ocean Quest: The Immersive AdventureExecutive producer
Mindfulness: Be Happy NowProducer, directorDocumentary
2020 Producer
2021 Mortal KombatExecutive producer

Television

YearFilmRoleNotes
1991The Making of 'Executive producerDocumentary
1995Mortal Kombat: Behind the Dragon
1996
1998–1999
2003 The AfterlifeTV movie
2010 Lego Atlantis: The MovieTV Short
2011–2013Hero Factory
2012 Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes OutTV Short
2013 Rockin' Rounds
3 Rounds With

Notes and References

  1. Web site: CAN FILMMAKING SAVE VESTRON`S HOME VIDEO?. 2022-02-15. Chicago Tribune. en.
  2. Web site: Embrace The Crazy With A Touch Of The Madness with Larry Kasanoff! / SpeakIn.
  3. 2022 Larry Kasanoff interview https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/larry-kasanoff-on-producing-the-mortal-kombat/id1505770425?i=1000588541695
  4. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/735748/a-touch-of-the-madness-by-lawrence-kasanoff/
  5. Web site: Larry kasanoff´s page.
  6. Web site: Lawrence Kasanoff (Visual voices guide).