Irving H. Levin on AllMovie

From the 1950s through the 1980s, Irving H. Levin produced independent movies in Hollywood. A former WWII-era flying ace who completed 31 missions over Germany and was decorated with a Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Stars, and a Bombardier Wing, Levin launched his film career by producing such low-budget films as Bert I. Gordon's The Beginning of the End (1957) and Crashout (1955). Levin teamed with Gene Klein in the early '60s to found the National General Corp (NGC). With the company, Levin produced such films as Divorce American Style (1967) and The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) starring James Stewart and Henry Fonda. Levin teamed with actors Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Ali McGraw, and Barbra Streisand to form First Artists in 1969. With this company, they produced such films as Sam Peckinpah's The Getaway (1970) starring Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. Levin bought most of the interest in the Boston Celtics in the early '70s, but following their 1976 championship season traded their franchise for John Y. Brown's Buffalo Braves, renamed them the Clippers, and sent the team to San Diego (they have since moved to Los Angeles). Levin hung on to the team for a few seasons, but then sold them and used the money to form SLM and return to film production. With this company, he produced films for Fox and MGM including Shoot the Moon (1982) and Romancing the Stone (1984). Toward the end of the '80s, Levin founded New Century Productions. This company produced a few films before it merged with New Visions in 1989. Levin died of cancer on March 20, 1996, at age 74.