Mike Stenson, the erstwhile president of Jerry Bruckheimer Films who helped usher films from Top Gun: Maverick (his final film) to Coyote Ugly over his 25-year tenure, died at the age of 65 on April 26.
A cause of death was not revealed.
“As early as high school, Mike loved movies and knew he wanted to make them,” his younger brother Robert said in a statement. “While he achieved great personal success, he always shunned the spotlight preferring to highlight the contributions of others. Despite his success, he remained down to earth with an intellect matched only by his generosity and rapier wit.”
Bruckheimer said: “Mike was one of the most brilliant individuals I’ve ever known or worked with. His sense of story and complete knowledge of film production from development through filming and beyond was just amazing. Mike’s relationships with talent on both sides of the camera was legendary. I can’t express enough how much I will miss him, and what a huge loss this is to me, everyone who worked with Mike through the years, and of course, his family.”
Born April 29, 1960 and raised in Boston, Stenson graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in business administration. He jumpstarted his career as a production assistant in New York and worked for two years in independent film and television as an assistant director and production manager before returning to Boston to complete his education.
Following graduation, he moved to Los Angeles where he began his tenure at Walt Disney Studios in special projects for two years before moving into the production department at Hollywood Pictures as a creative executive. Thereafter, he was promoted to vice president and later EVP during his eight years with the company, overseeing development and production for Hollywood Pictures and Touchstone Pictures.
While at the House of Mouse, many tried to poach Stenson but did not succeed until 1998, whereupon he joined Bruckheimer Films as leader, supervising all aspects of film development and production.
The respected motion picture executive served as a producer on Bad Company and Gone in 60 Seconds, and as an executive producer on a spate of films: Glory Road, King Arthur, Veronica Guerin, Kangaroo Jack, Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor, Remember the Titans, Déjà Vu, Confessions of a Shopaholic, G-Force, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, The Lone Ranger, Deliver Us From Evil, 12 Strong, Gemini Man, as well as the National Treasure, Bad Boys and Pirates of the Caribbean franchises.
In addition to the many Bruckheimer films he helped bring to the silver screen, Stenson also developed several other films and nurtured them through production, including Rush Hour; Instinct; Six Days, Seven Nights; and Mr. Holland’s Opus.
Stenson is survived by several members of his loving family, including his brothers John and his wife Mary; Tom and his wife Mary; Robert and his wife Kristin Callaghan; and his nieces and nephews Kaitlin, Christopher, Elizabeth, Jack, Grace, Aidan and Keira.
A funeral mass will be held at Manhattan Beach’s American Martyrs Catholic Church on Wednesday, May 20 at 2:00 pm. There will be a reception to follow.
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