The past few years have been very good for entertainment lawyer Alan U. Schwartz of Greenberg Traurig LLP, and he’s sharing the wealth.
He’s one of Hollywood’s most well known attorneys, credited with pioneering split right film deals, in which a film’s various backers divide distribution rights and revenues.
Schwartz also represents Truman Capote’s estate, and has been sole trustee of the Truman Capote Literary Trust since the early 1990s. The trust was worth $2 million when Capote died in 1984 and is worth about $9 million today.
Last year’s release of the Academy Award-winning film “In Cold Blood,” based on the author’s book, provided a boost for the fund, as did the posthumous release of Capote’s “Summer Crossing.”
For the past few years, Schwartz has made major contributions ranging from $300,000 to $400,000 to universities across the country through the trust. The trust additionally funds an award for literary criticism at the University of Iowa in honor of Capote’s friend, literary critic Newton Arvin. The award is $25,000 annually.
Schwartz was Capote’s lawyer and a personal friend, so oversight of the trust and awarding the funds has been professionally and personally rewarding.
“It means a great deal to me because Truman was somebody who not only was a great prose writer, but loved young writers,” he said. “For us to be able to continue this in his name for the foreseeable future means a great deal to me.”
The donations have gone to a range of institutions: Stanford University, University of Iowa, Xavier University which is an historically black college in New Orleans and Appalachian State University.
Schwartz, who works on the trust with his wife, Louise, knows the theater as well as publishing and film. He worked with Mel Brooks and helped him take “The Producers” from movie to Broadway and back to the
big screen.
Liner Notes
A bankruptcy court has appointed SulmeyerKupetz APC partner Howard M. Ehrenberg trustee for dispute between the City of Long Beach and Queen’s Seaport Development, Inc., which owns the Queen Mary.
The company has been in bankruptcy
for one year, with a total debt of about $50 million.
“It’s a medium-sized bankruptcy in terms of dollars,” Ehrenberg said, “but it’s not medium size in importance to the people of Long Beach, because it involves the Queen Mary and the 40 acres of good, developable land around it, that’s really the subject of the bankruptcy.”
The City of Long Beach claims that the company owes them nearly $5 million in back rent, while Queen’s Seaport says the city is going back on rent credits for capital improvements that it had approved earlier.
Joseph Prevratil, president and chief executive of Queen’s Seaport, welcomed Ehrenberg’s appointment.
“We’re pleased that a trustee of Mr. Ehrenberg’s caliber has come aboard and we hope he will be able to resolve the issues we have been unable to resolve to this point.”
Comings and Goings
David M. Fox’s name has been added to the shingle of entertainment law firm Myman Abell Fineman Fox Greenspan & Light LLP. Fox represents several actors and directors, including Oscar-winning “Tsotsi” director Gavin Hood, “The Family Stone” writer and director Thomas Bezucha and actor Jon Cryer of TV’s “Two and a Half Men.” “David has incredible range with his practice and a knack for identifying and connecting with literary and director talent,” said Robert M. Myman. “We’re proud to be adding his name to our masthead.” Jeffrey R. Glassman has made partner at Moldo Davidson Fraioli Seror & Sestanovich LLP. Geronimo Perez and Stephen J. Rafferty have joined the firm as associates Andrew M. Apfelberg has been named partner at Rutter Hobbs & Davidoff Inc. … Christina E. Rey has joined McGuireWoods LLP as an associate in the firm’s real estate and environmental department.
Staff reporter Emily Bryson York can be reached at (323) 549-5225, ext. 235, or at
[email protected]
.
