Tom McGrath (media executive) facts for kids

Thomas Berard McGrath (born in 1956) is an American business leader in the entertainment world. He helps bring movies, music, and live shows to people all over the globe. Currently, he is the chairman of Crossroads Media, a company that invests in entertainment projects. He also used to lead Crossroads Live, which brings exciting theater shows to audiences worldwide.

Mr. McGrath has held many important roles in big entertainment companies like STX Entertainment, Key Brand Entertainment (which owns Broadway.com), Act III Communications, and Viacom. He is a very successful producer, having won nine Tony Awards for Broadway shows! He is also part of the National Recording Academy and serves on the board of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He helps guide important arts schools like the New England Conservatory of Music and the American Repertory Theater at Harvard.

Tom McGrath's Early Life and Education

Thomas McGrath grew up in Washington, DC. He went to Harvard University and graduated in 1976. While there, he loved music! He was the music director for a student theater group called Hasty Pudding Theatricals. He also conducted the Harvard University Band.

Later, he continued his studies at Harvard Business School, earning a special degree in business in 1980. For his final project, he wrote about how home video, like DVDs or streaming today, could change how movies reach people's homes.

Tom McGrath's Exciting Career in Entertainment

Starting at Columbia Pictures

Mr. McGrath started his career in the entertainment world at Columbia Pictures Industries in 1980. He helped create RCA Columbia Home Video, which was a new way to bring movies into people's homes.

When Coca-Cola bought Columbia in 1982, he became a senior leader, helping the company grow. He also played a key role in forming TriStar Pictures. This new movie studio was a partnership between Columbia, HBO, and CBS.

He helped Columbia buy other companies too, like Embassy Communications from TV producer Norman Lear. He also helped acquire Merv Griffin Enterprises, which made popular game shows like Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!.

Leading Act III Communications

After his time at Columbia, Mr. McGrath became the president and chief operating officer (COO) of Norman Lear's company, Act III Communications, in 1987. He stayed in this role until 1990.

At Act III, he helped the company grow its TV, publishing, and movie theater businesses. He also helped finance many well-known films. These included Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, and Fried Green Tomatoes.

International Broadcasting at Time Warner

In the 1990s, Mr. McGrath became the President of International Broadcasting for Time Warner. This meant he helped create new TV and radio channels in other countries.

He helped launch Classic FM, a popular national radio station in the UK. He also started n-tv, a German news channel, and VIVA, a German music video channel.

Big Moves at Viacom

Mr. McGrath played a big part in Viacom buying Paramount Pictures in the 1990s. He joined Viacom in 1994 as a top executive and stayed there until 2004.

At Viacom, he helped turn famous Paramount movies into exciting stage musicals. These included White Christmas, Footloose, and Saturday Night Fever.

In 2002, he became President of Paramount Enterprises. This part of Viacom managed things like Paramount Parks (theme parks), the Canadian movie theater chain Famous Players, and United Cinemas International (another movie theater company).

Bringing Broadway to More People

From 2008 to 2013, Mr. McGrath was the chairman of Key Brand Entertainment. This company later became The John Gore Organization. He helped the company buy the theater part of Live Nation in 2008.

This deal included Broadway.com, a popular website for theater fans. It also included Theatre Direct, which sells group tickets, and Broadway Across America.

Through Broadway Across America, Mr. McGrath helped produce many Broadway shows. These included new versions of Promises, Promises (2009), Hair (2009), and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2011).

In 2013, he teamed up with other producers to work with 20th Century Fox. Their goal was to turn popular Fox movies into stage musicals. Some of the first ideas were Mrs. Doubtfire and The Devil Wears Prada. Mr. McGrath has won nine Tony Awards for his work on Broadway!

Investing in Music with Crossroads Media

Today, Mr. McGrath is the Chairman of Crossroads Media. This company invests in music by buying the rights to songs, called 'music publishing catalogues'.

He worked with Spectrum Equity Investors to buy independent music companies. These included Bug Music in 2006 and Windswept Holdings in 2007. He was the chairman of Bug Music until it was sold to BMG in 2011.

Creating Films with STX Entertainment

Mr. McGrath was the chief operating officer of STX Entertainment from 2014 until May 2019. This company focuses on making and sharing movies that have well-known actors and a medium budget.

STX Entertainment has produced and distributed many films. Some examples are The Gift, Bad Moms, The Edge of Seventeen, The Foreigner, and Molly's Game.

In April 2018, STX planned to offer its shares to the public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This was a big step for the company.

Bringing Live Shows to the World

Mr. McGrath was the CEO of Crossroads Live. This company creates and tours Broadway musicals in countries around the world. Crossroads Live invests in many types of live entertainment. This includes festivals, immersive attractions, and touring musical theater productions.

The company also works across film, television, music, and theme park industries. In 2019, Crossroads Live bought David Ian Productions. In December 2020, they also acquired the Gordon Frost Organization. Recently, Crossroads Live produced Mrs. Doubtfire, Company, and Almost Famous the Musical.

Supporting Theatrical Works with ILP Theatrical

In 2024, Mr. McGrath partnered with Michael Barra to create ILP Theatrical. This company works with International Literary Properties. ILP Theatrical helps authors of plays and musicals manage their works. This includes buying rights, forming partnerships, and handling administration.

Some of their first projects included acquiring the play "Arsenic and Old Lace" and other works by Joseph Kesselring. They also acquired the literary works of Langston Hughes.