# James M. Nederlander

James M. Nederlander (March 31, 1922 – July 25, 2016) was an American theatrical producer who served as chairman of the Nederlander Organization, one of the largest operators of live theaters and music venues 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 to a Jewish family, one of six children of Sarah (née Applebaum) and David T. "D.T." Nederlander. His father bought his first live theater in 1905, the Fisher Theater in Detroit (which is no longer owned by the family) 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 (which owns sixteen theaters) and ahead of Jujamcyn (which owns five). 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 had a son, James L. Nederlander, the current CEO and owner of the Nederlander Organization. In 1969, he married his second wife Charlene Saunders (born 1934).
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

| Year | Nominated work | Role | Category | Result |
| 1974 | Seesaw | Producer | Best Musical | Nominated |
| 1977 | Otherwise Engaged | Producer | Best Play | Nominated |
| 1979 | Whose Life Is It Anyway? | Producer | Best Play | Nominated |
| 1980 | West Side Story | Producer | Best Revival | Nominated |
| 1981 | Woman of the Year | Producer | Best Musical | Nominated |
| 1982 | The Dresser | Producer | Best Play | Nominated |
| 1982 | The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby | Producer | Best Play | Won |
| 1982 | Nine | Producer | Best Musical | Won |
| 1983 | Merlin | Producer | Best Musical | Nominated |
| 1984 | Noises Off | Producer | Best Play | Nominated |
| 1984 | La Cage aux Folles | Producer | Best Musical | Won |
| 1985 | Strange Interlude | Producer | Best Revival | Nominated |
| 1985 | Cyrano de Bergerac | Producer | Best Revival | Nominated |
| 1985 | Much Ado About Nothing | Producer | Best Revival | Nominated |
| 1985 | Grind | Producer | Best Musical | Nominated |
| 1986 | Sweet Charity | Producer | Best Revival | Won |
| 1986 | The Iceman Cometh | Producer | Best Revival | Nominated |
| 1986 | Benefactors | Producer | Best Play | Nominated |
| 1987 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Producer | Best Play | Nominated |
| 1987 | Me and My Girl | Producer | Best Musical | Nominated |
| 1989 | Cafe Crown | Producer | Best Revival | Nominated |
| 1991 | Peter Pan | Producer | Best Revival | Nominated |
| 1991 | Shadowlands | Producer | Best Revival | Nominated |
| 1991 | The Will Rogers Follies | Producer | Best Musical | Won |
| 1993 | The Goodbye Girl | Producer | Best Musical | Nominated |
| 1994 | She Loves Me | Producer | Best Revival of a Musical | Nominated |
| 1995 | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | Producer | Best Revival of a Musical | Nominated |
| 1996 | The King and I | Producer | Best Revival of a Musical | Won |
| 1998 | A View From the Bridge | Producer | Best Revival of a Play | Won |
| 1998 | 1776 | Producer | Best Revival of a Musical | Nominated |
| 1999 | Peter Pan | Producer | Best Revival of a Musical | Nominated |
| 2000 | Copenhagen | Producer | Best Play | Won |
| 2002 | Private Lives | Producer | Best Revival of a Play | Won |
| 2004 | Special Tony Award | Recipient | Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre | Won |
| 2013 | Annie | Producer | Best Revival of a Musical | Nominated |
| 2016 | Fiddler on the Roof | Producer | Best Revival of a Musical | Nominated |
| 2016 | School of Rock | Producer | Best Musical | Nominated |

### Drama Desk Awards

| Year | Nominated work | Role | Category | Result |
| 1975 | London Assurance | Producer | Unique Theatrical Experience | Won |
| 1977 | Otherwise Engaged | Producer | Outstanding New Play (Foreign) | Won |
| 1980 | Night and Day | Producer | Outstanding New Play | Nominated |
| 1981 | Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music | Producer | Outstanding Musical | Nominated |
| 1982 | Nine | Producer | Outstanding Musical | Won |
| 1984 | Noises Off | Producer | Outstanding New Play | Nominated |
| 1984 | La Cage aux Folles | Producer | Outstanding Musical | Nominated |
| 1985 | Aren't We All? | Producer | Outstanding Revival | Nominated |
| 1986 | The Iceman Cometh | Producer | Outstanding Revival | Nominated |
| 1986 | Benefactors | Producer | Outstanding New Play | Nominated |
| [1987 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | Producer | Outstanding New Play | Nominated |
| 1987 | Me and My Girl | Producer | Outstanding Musical | Nominated |
| 1991 | The Will Rogers Follies | Producer | Outstanding Musical | Won |
| 1995 | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | Producer | Outstanding Musical | Nominated |
| 1996 | The King and I | Producer | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Won |
| 2000 | Copenhagen | Producer | Outstanding New Play | Won |
| 2002 | Private Lives | Producer | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Won |
| 2003 | Medea | Producer | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Nominated |
| 2016 | Fiddler on the Roof | Producer | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Nominated |
| 2016 | School of Rock | Producer | Outstanding Musical | Nominated |