From 1997 to 2003, Tooley ran production company Newman/Tooley Films with Vincent Newman, producing a slate of independent and studio movies. He founded Tooley Productions in 2003, where he oversees the creative and financial aspects of all film development and production. In 2007, Tooley joined Relativity as President of Worldwide Production at Relativity Studios where he played an integral role in the acquisition of Overture Films’ marketing and distribution operations, transforming Relativity from a slate financing entity into a full-fledged independent studio. In 2011, Tooley was promoted to President of the company, and was responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations. Under Tooley’s leadership, the studio earned numerous Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and three of its releases opened number one at the box office. In addition, he was instrumental in the launch of the company’s television division which, in 2015, sold to private equity firms for $125 million. While at Relativity, Tooley was an early advocate for and executive produced David O. Russell’s The Fighter, which earned seven Oscar nominations and won two. Also, he produced or executive produced Neil Burger’s Limitless, starring Bradley Cooper, and the action-thriller Act of Valor which both opened number one at the domestic box office. Other credits include Dear John, starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried; Nicholas Sparks’ Safe Haven; and Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire. In October 2015, Tooley chose to step down from the company, following a 30-day transition period. Tooley began his film career as a creative executive at Interlight Pictures. The first film he financed was , based on the memoir by Eric LeMarque. The film, starring Josh Hartnett, was released in October 2017.
Family and personal life
Tooley was born in California. He is a son of Reva Tooley and Bill Tooley. His father is a real estate professional, and his mother is the founder of the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. In September 2012, Tooley married Tessa Menefee Benson in Santa Barbara, California. They have one son. Tooley's brother James is a director and producer of commercial and documentary shows.
