For decades, the name Nederlander has been synonymous with The Great White Way. And so it was only fitting that the lights on Broadway—as well as Chicago and the West End of London—dimmed on August 3 before the evening’s performances, a collective sigh, if you will, for the passing of a titan of the theater. James M. Nederlander died on July 25 at his home in Southampton. He was 94.
Mr. Nederlander was known as just “Jimmy,” “Jimmy Senior” or sometimes just “Senior” to distinguish between him and his son, the president of the Nederlander Organization, James L. Nederlander. They worked side by side in the family business.
“He was my best friend, and partner in every aspect of our business,” he said of his father to Variety last week. “We collaborated every day. The world has lost one of its great impresarios.”
For more than 70 years Mr. Nederlander had a hand in—by producing, co-producing or housing in Nederlander-owned venues—some of the best-known Broadway shows. He was connected to more than 100 shows, including well-loved classics “Annie,” which was his first investment in 1977, “Nine,” “Noises Off,” “La Cage aux Folles,” “Peter Pan” and “West Side Story.” The recent smash hit “Hamilton” plays at the Nederlander-owned Richard Rodgers Theatre. The Nederlander Organization owns nine Broadway venues in New York as well as theaters in Chicago, Los Angeles and London’s West End.
By all accounts Mr. Nederlander was a gem of a guy. With a reputation for mentoring younger employees, he was a role model to many. The Nederlander Organization was founded in 1912 by Jimmy’s father, David T. Nederlander in Detroit, Michigan, and Jimmy reportedly began working at a very young age, doing odd jobs as stagehand, usher, even sweeping the lobby. He took over the company after his father died in 1965.
Not content to stay in his lane, Mr. Nederlander partnered with George Steinbrenner in 1971 to buy the New York Yankees.
In 2004, Mr. Nederlander was given a special Tony Award for lifetime achievement in the theatre. This was one of many honors bestowed upon a generous man who fostered education and the arts and social causes throughout his life. He received the Actors’ Fund Medal of Honor in 2002, the Broadway League’s Schoenfeld Vision for Arts Education Award in 2011 and the United Nations Foundation Champion Award in 2012. In 2009, the Nederlanders established the National High School Musical Award, named “The Jimmy Award,” to celebrate outstanding student performances in high school musical productions across the country.
Mr. Nederlander and his second wife, Charlene, have been Southampton residents since the 1980s. Ms. Nederlander designed their home with longtime design collaborator Carleton Varney and Southampton architect Joseph T. Deppe.
Mr. Nederlander is survived by Charlene S. Nederlander; a son, James Nederlander and wife Margo; grandchildren, James M. Nederlander II and Kathleen M. Nederlander; a stepdaughter, Kristina Gustafson and her children Gunnar Gustafson and Kristanna Gustafson.
on Aug 2, 2016