Producer Forms Scott Sanders Productions; Fineman is VP

Emmy and Tony award-winning producer Scott Sanders today announced a two-year first look motion picture deal with Walt Disney Studios and the creation of Scott Sanders Productions. Theatre publicist and producer Carol Fineman joins the feature film and live theater production company as Vice President of the Theatre division.

One of the most prolific entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry, Sanders is generally credited with the significant turnaround of Radio City Music Hall, and is perhaps best known as the lead producer of the 11 Tony Award-nominated hit Broadway musical The Color Purple. He won a Tony for Elaine Stritch at Liberty, as well as two Emmys for the production's HBO special.

"I'm excited to draw on my eclectic and far-reaching talent relationships within the film, television, music, theatre and publishing communities to create high-quality commercial properties for the stage and screen," states Sanders in the press notes. "Scott Sanders Productions will focus on developing and producing feature films and stage musicals based on popular, renowned literary works as well as classic stories from a variety of sources, then marketing those projects to a broad based audience. I also look forward to using my 15 years of producing experience at Radio City Music Hall to create original programming for Las Vegas and touring venues."

Adds Oren Aviv, the president of production for the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, "I am very pleased to bring in Scott and his team to develop quality motion picture projects for the Disney and Touchstone banners. I have worked with Scott over the past 20 years, and witnessed him succeed across an impressive array of media. Scott innovates on every project he produces, has great taste, an uncanny connection with talent, and has reaped both critical and popular success. We are looking forward to a long, exciting and successful collaboration."

Sanders' new headquarters will open in the Chelsea gallery district in early spring.

Photo of Scott Sanders by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.