Barry Reardon, Former Warner Bros Theatrical Distribution Executive Responsible for Blockbusters Such as ‘Batman’ and ‘The Fugitive’, Passes Away at 92

The entertainment industry has lost a legend. D. Barry Reardon, affectionately known as “The Dean of Distribution,” passed away at the age of 92. Reardon was the former President of Sales and Distribution at Warner Bros. and was responsible for revolutionizing the motion picture business. He was a trailblazer, releasing blockbusters during the early days of August, a time previously considered a dead zone. His genius dating maneuver for the Harrison Ford hit, The Fugitive, was praised by late producer Arnold Kopelson as “pure genius.” Reardon also developed an internal marketing data system that was ahead of its time, allowing executives to steer a film with a particular actor away from a critic who had problems with that actor. During his tenure at Warner Bros., the studio ranked among the top three in North American box-office market share for 16 out of his 20 years. Reardon was a mentor to current-day distribution bosses, including Warner Bros. President of Domestic Distribution Jeff Goldstein. Tom Sherak, chairman of 20th Century Fox’s Domestic Film Group, said, “Barry singlehandedly changed the way distribution is looked at as an art form in the business today.” Reardon’s legacy will live on, and he will be deeply missed.