Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein (born 19.03.1952)
Harvey Weinstein is an American film producer and co-chairmen of The Weinstein Company and Miramax.

Harvey Weinstein: Childhood
Harvey Weinstein was born in Flushing, New York. His parents were Max Weinstein, a diamond cutter, and Miriam.
He was raised in a Jewish household.
He attended the John Bowne High School and the University at Buffalo.

Harvey Weinstein: Film career
Harvey Weinstein began his career producing rock concerts as Harvey & Corky Productions with his brother Bob Weinstein and their friend Corky Burger.
They founded an independent film distribution company called Miramax (an amalgam of their parents' names). They released films such as Paul McCartney's 'Rockshow'.
Their movie for Amnesty International 'The Secret Policeman's Other Ball' in 1982 was credited with raising the profile of the charity in the US.
The company received national attention in 1988 after releasing Errol Morris's crime documentary 'The Thin Blue Line'. They became the most successful independent film studio in the US with the release of Steven Soderbergh's 'Sex, Lies, and Videotape' in 1989.
1989 also saw Miramax release 'The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover' and 'Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!' which were both X-rated by the MPAA, though Weinstein attempted to sue the ratings computer and it was later changed to NC-17 rated.
Following the release of 'The Crying Game' in 1993, Disney bought the company for $80 million and released Quentin Tarantino's 'Pulp Fiction' in 1994 and distributed 'Clerks'.
Miramax won an Academy Award with 'The English Patient' in 1996 and soon followed many other successes including 'Shakespeare in Love' and 'Good Will Hunting'.
In 2005, the Weinsteins left Miramax and formed the production company The Weinstein Company garnering Academy Award nominations with 'Transamerica' and 'Mrs. Henderson Presents'. They did the documentary film 'The Oath of Tobruk' about the 2011 Libyan revolution.
He was honoured as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his efforts in the British film industry.
He has been criticized for his editing of the Asian films 'Shaolin Soccer', 'Hero' and 'Princess Mononoke', detailed in Peter Biskind's book 'Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance and the Rise of Independent Film'.
He has a reputation for anger, once putting a reporter in a headlock while throwing him out of a party and once attacking Julie Taymor over a screening her movie 'Frida'.
He has been involved in a variety of charities regarding poverty, AIDS, juvenile diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.
In 2009, singer Sam Moore attempted to sure The Weinstein Company for allegedly basing the comedy 'Soul Men' on his career.
In 2011, Michael Moore took the company to court alleging that he was owed millions for the 2004 documentary 'Fahrenheit 9/11'.
Harvey Weinstein: Personal life
Harvey Weinstein married his assistant Eve Chilton in 1987. They divorced in 2004 after having had three children; Lily, Emma and Ruth.
In 2007, he married Georgina Chapman with whom he has two children; India Pearl and Dashiell.
In 2012, he was the victim of an attempted extortion by Vivek Shah who threatened to murder his family if they did not pay millions of dollars. He was soon arrested.