James M. Nederlander


AwardWinsNominations
Tony Awards
Drama Desk Awards

James M. Nederlander was chairman of the Nederlander Organization, one of the largest live theater owners and producers in the United States. He was a 10 time Tony Award winner and was nominated for 37 Tony Awards.

Early life and education

Nederlander was born in Detroit, Michigan, one of six children of Sarah and David T. "D.T." Nederlander. His father bought his first live theater in 1905, the Fisher Theater in Detroit and founded the family company, the Nederlander Organization. He has four brothers: Harry, Robert, Fred, and Joseph; and one sister, Frances.

Career

Jimmy was the first of the brothers to go into the family business. He dropped out of the pre-law program at the Detroit Institute of Technology, took a job in the box office of the Lafayette Theater, and then worked as the treasurer in the traveling Air Force production of Moss Hart's Winged Victory which played on Broadway where he made valuable connections. After his father's death in the 1960s, the Nederlander brothers continued to purchase theaters expanding nationally with Jimmy moving to New York City, Harry to San Francisco, and Joey remaining in Detroit. Their largest rivals were the Shubert family, the founders of Broadway theatre district in New York City. From 1965 to 1985, Jimmy purchased ten theaters in New York City and produced hundreds of plays forming close relationships with producers David Merrick, Alexander H. Cohen, and Emanuel Azenberg. In 1973, Nederlander and his brothers joined with George Steinbrenner as limited partners when Steinbrenner purchased the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.
The Nederlander Organization controls nine Broadway theaters and is the second largest owner, of the three companies that dominate Broadway after the Shubert Organization and ahead of Jujamcyn. The Nederlander Organization owns a larger number of theater houses than the others with an additional fifteen theaters nationwide. They are the only one of the three that is still run by its owners.

Personal life

Nederlander was married twice. His first wife was Barbara Smith with whom he has a son, James L. Nederlander.
In 1969, he married his second wife Charlene Saunders.
Broadway in Chicago announced on November 13, 2018, that the Oriental Theater was to be renamed in honor of James, the founder of Broadway In Chicago. On February 8, 2019 the venue unveiled its newly renovated marquee, vertical blade sign and signage as the James M. Nederlander Theatre.

Awards and nominations

Tony Awards

YearNominated workRoleCategoryResult
1974SeesawProducerBest Musical
1977Otherwise EngagedProducerBest Play
1979Whose Life Is It Anyway?ProducerBest Play
1980West Side StoryProducerBest Revival
1981Woman of the YearProducerBest Musical
1982The DresserProducerBest Play
1982The Life and Adventures of Nicholas NicklebyProducerBest Play
1982NineProducerBest Musical
1983MerlinProducerBest Musical
1984Noises OffProducerBest Play
1984La Cage aux FollesProducerBest Musical
1985Strange InterludeProducerBest Revival
1985Cyrano de BergeracProducerBest Revival
1985Much Ado About NothingProducerBest Revival
1985GrindProducerBest Musical
1986Sweet CharityProducerBest Revival
1986The Iceman ComethProducerBest Revival
1986BenefactorsProducerBest Play
1987Les Liaisons DangereusesProducerBest Play
1987Me and My GirlProducerBest Musical
1989Cafe CrownProducerBest Revival
1991Peter PanProducerBest Revival
1991ShadowlandsProducerBest Revival
1991The Will Rogers FolliesProducerBest Musical
1993The Goodbye GirlProducerBest Musical
1994She Loves MeProducerBest Revival of a Musical
1995How to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingProducerBest Revival of a Musical
1996The King and IProducerBest Revival of a Musical
1998A View From the BridgeProducerBest Revival of a Play
19981776ProducerBest Revival of a Musical
1999Peter PanProducerBest Revival of a Musical
2000CopenhagenProducerBest Play
2002Private LivesProducerBest Revival of a Play
2004Special Tony AwardRecipientLifetime Achievement in the Theatre
2013AnnieProducerBest Revival of a Musical
2016Fiddler on the RoofProducerBest Revival of a Musical
2016School of RockProducerBest Musical

Drama Desk Awards

YearNominated workRoleCategoryResult
1975London AssuranceProducerUnique Theatrical Experience
1977Otherwise EngagedProducerOutstanding New Play
1980Night and DayProducerOutstanding New Play
1981ProducerOutstanding Musical
1982NineProducerOutstanding Musical
1984Noises OffProducerOutstanding New Play
1984La Cage aux FollesProducerOutstanding Musical
1985Aren't We All?ProducerOutstanding Revival
1986The Iceman ComethProducerOutstanding Revival
1986BenefactorsProducerOutstanding New Play
1987Les Liaisons DangereusesProducerOutstanding New Play
1987Me and My GirlProducerOutstanding Musical
1991The [Will Rogers FolliesProducerOutstanding Musical
1995How to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingProducerOutstanding Musical
1996The King and IProducerOutstanding Revival of a Musical
2000CopenhagenProducerOutstanding New Play
2002Private LivesProducerOutstanding Revival of a Play
2003MedeaProducerOutstanding Revival of a Play
2016Fiddler on the RoofProducerOutstanding Revival of a Musical
2016School of RockProducerOutstanding Musical