David Brown

David Brown, born smack dab in the middle of New York City on July 28, 1916, wasn’t just any old film producer—he was a real heavyweight in Hollywood. The guy’s fingerprints are all over some of the biggest movies ever, you know? Like, Jaws? Yeah, that’s him. That suspenseful, teeth-clenching, “don’t go in the water” classic that basically traumatized a generation. He also had a hand in Deep Impact, which, let’s be honest, made everybody side-eye the sky for asteroids for at least a week after watching. And The Player? That razor-sharp Hollywood satire—yep, David Brown again, shaping the story from behind the curtains. But film wasn’t his only gig. Brown actually started out in the world of publishing, rubbing elbows with writers and editors before he ever stepped onto a movie set. Eventually, he found his groove in the world of cinema, teaming up with Richard Zanuck to form one of those legendary producer duos you hear about. The two of them cranked out hit after hit, racking up nominations and awards like it was a sport. On the personal side, he was married to Helen Gurley Brown, the trailblazer behind Cosmopolitan magazine. Talk about a power couple, right? Brown himself was sharp, ambitious, and didn’t shy away from risks—maybe that’s why his movies always felt so bold. He stuck around until February 1, 2010, passing away in Manhattan, the city that shaped him. Guy left a legacy that’s still echoing through Hollywood—hard to top that.