Gary Goetzman

Gary Goetzman Headshot

Producer • Actor

Birth Date: November 6, 1952

Age: 71 years old

Birth Place: Los Angeles, California

A former child actor who grew up to become the executive producer the multi-Oscar-winning "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991), Gary Goetzman has been working with director Jonathan Demme in various capacities since serving as production manager on Demme's 1974 debut "Caged Heat/Renegade Girls." Simultaneously, he has carried on a career as a composer and producer (as well as music editor and sound recordist) for such artists as Smokey Robinson, Chaka Khan and Thelma Houston. The Los Angeles native never made it to the top rung of child actors, but he can be seen as Dick Van Dyke's son in "Divorce American Style" (1967) and alongside Tim Matheson and Morgan Brittany (then billed as Suzanne Cupito) as Henry Fonda's children in the family comedy "Yours, Mine and Ours" (1968). He has continued to act in bit roles, usually in Demme's films like "Citizens Band/Handle With Care" (1977), "Melvin and Howard" (1980) and "Married to the Mob" (1988). In both "Something Wild" (1986) and "Philadelphia" (1993), Goetzman portrayed the same character, the lounge singer Guido Paonessa. He also produced Demme's "Stop Making Sense" (1984), the excellent Talking Heads concert film which earned a citation from the National Society of Film Critics. Separate from his work with Demme, Goetzman has been active as actor (Joel Schumacher's "The Incredible Shrinking Woman" 1981), music supervisor (Dennis Hopper's "Colors" 1988; Barbet Schroeder's "Reversal of Fortune" 1990) and producer of projects of varying quality and success ("Modern Girls" 1986; "Miami Blues" 1990). He was also producer of "Amos & Andrew" (1993), the Nicolas Cage-Samuel and with Jesse Beaton served as executive producer on Carl Franklin's underappreciated "Devil in a Blue Dress" (1995). Not only did he help produce Tom Hanks' directorial debut, "That Thing You Do!" (1996), but he also contributed several original songs to the soundtrack. In fact, work in the music world has occupied much of Goetzman's professional career. He wrote the theme song for the 1978 syndicated TV series "Hot City Disco" and has worked with such artists as Natalie Cole, The Staple Singers, and The Manhattans. Goetzman directed the music video for Jane Child's single "Don't Want to Fall in Love," which reached Number 1 on MTV and contributed song to the soundtracks of "Fright Night" (1985), "Married to the Mob" and "Miami Blues." He and Demme reteamed for the Robyn Hitchcock concert film "Storefront Hitchcock" and "Beloved" (both 1998).

Credits

The Bloody HundredthStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2024

Masters of the AirStream

Executive Producer
Series
2024
85%

Christmas at the Movies

Executive Producer
Show
2023

The 2010sStream

Executive Producer
Docuseries
2023

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3Stream

Producer
Movie
2023
30%

Tis the Season: The Holidays on ScreenStream

Executive Producer
Special
2022

Mama's BoyStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2022
86%

Nella terra delle creature selvagge

Producer
Show
2022

A Man Called OttoStream

Producer
Movie
2022
70%

My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood

Executive Producer
Show
2020

GreyhoundStream

Producer
Movie
2020
77%

News of the WorldStream

Producer
Movie
2020
88%

The MoviesStream

Executive Producer
Miniseries
2019

2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Executive Producer
Show
2019

The 2000sStream

Executive Producer
Docuseries
2018

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!Stream

Producer
Movie
2018
79%

Notes From the FieldStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2018
100%

The NinetiesStream

Executive Producer
Docuseries
2017

2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Executive Producer
Show
2017

The CircleStream

Producer
Movie
2017
16%

Justin Timberlake & The Tennessee Kids

Producer
Show
2016

2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Executive Producer
Show
2016

The EightiesStream

Executive Producer
Docuseries
2016

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2Stream

Producer
Movie
2016
27%

A Hologram for the King

Producer
Movie
2016

The SeventiesStream

Executive Producer
Docuseries
2015

Ricki and the FlashStream

Producer
Movie
2015
65%

Ithaca

Executive Producer
Movie
2015

The Concert for Valor

Executive Producer
Show
2014

Olive KitteridgeStream

Executive Producer
Miniseries
2014
94%

The SixtiesStream

Executive Producer
Docuseries
2014

The 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Executive Producer
Show
2013

Parkland

Producer
Movie
2013

2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Executive Producer
Show
2012

Game ChangeStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2012
67%

Larry CrowneStream

Producer
Movie
2011
37%

He Has Seen War

Executive Producer
Movie
2011

The PacificStream

Executive Producer
Miniseries
2010
91%

Where the Wild Things AreStream

Producer
Movie
2009
73%

My Life in Ruins

Executive Producer
Movie
2009

David McCullough: Painting With Words

Producer
Show
2008

John AdamsStream

Executive Producer
Miniseries
2008
82%

City of Ember

Producer
Movie
2008

Mamma Mia!Stream

Producer
Movie
2008
55%

The Great Buck Howard

Producer
Movie
2008

Evan AlmightyStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2007
24%

Charlie Wilson's WarStream

Producer
Movie
2007
82%

Big LoveStream

Executive Producer
Series
2006
80%

Lucas, der Ameisenschreck

Producer
Movie
2006

Myrmobbaren - sv.tal

Producer
Movie
2006

Neil Young: Heart of GoldStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2006
90%

The Ant Bully

Producer
Movie
2006

Starter for 10

Producer
Movie
2006

Muurahaisten kauhu

Producer
Movie
2006

Lucas, fourmi malgré lui

Producer
Movie
2006

De Mierenmepper

Producer
Movie
2006

Désolation magnifique: Marcher sur la Lune

Producer
Movie
2005

Der Polarexpress

Producer
Movie
2004

Polarexpressen - sv.tal

Producer
Movie
2004

Le Pôle express

Producer
Movie
2004

The Polar Express

Producer
Movie
2004

The Polar ExpressStream

Producer
Movie
2004
56%

My Big Fat Greek WeddingStream

Producer
Movie
2002
76%

Storefront Hitchcock

Executive Producer
Movie
1998

Beloved

Producer
Movie
1998

That Thing You Do!Stream

Producer
Movie
1996
94%

Devil in a Blue DressStream

Producer
Movie
1995
92%

Amos & Andrew

Producer
Movie
1993

PhiladelphiaStream

Executive Producer
Movie
1993
81%

The Silence of the LambsStream

Executive Producer
Movie
1991
95%

Miami BluesStream

Producer
Movie
1990
85%

Modern Girls

Producer
Movie
1986

Stop Making Sense

Producer
Movie
1984
100%

Divorce American StyleStream

Actor
Jonathan Harmon
Movie
1967
100%

McHale's Navy

Guest Star
Series
1962

News aboutGary Goetzman