What is Lawrence Bender's Net Worth and Salary?
Lawrence Bender, an American film producer, boasts a net worth of $40 million. He earned his fortune by producing many of Quentin Tarantino's critically acclaimed films. Bender-produced films have garnered dozens of Academy Award nominations, including a few for Best Picture, winning eight.
In 1990, Bender encountered Tarantino's script for "Reservoir Dogs." He produced the film, which became a cult classic, launching Tarantino's career.
Notable Bender-Produced Films
- Pulp Fiction (1994)
- Good Will Hunting (1997)
- Jackie Brown (1997)
- The Mexican (2001)
- Kill Bill: Volume 1 and 2 (2003, 2004)
- An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
- Inglourious Basterds (2009)
"An Inconvenient Truth," Bender's documentary raising unprecedented awareness about climate change, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. His non-Tarantino films include "Good Will Hunting," "Anna and the King," "The Mexican," "The Chumscrubber," and "The Harder They Fall."
Early Life and Education
Lawrence Bender was born on October 17, 1957, in New York City to a Jewish family. Raised in New Jersey, his mother was a kindergarten teacher and his father a college history professor. Inspired by his grandfather, a civil engineer, Bender pursued civil engineering at the University of Maine, graduating in 1979. While there, he developed a passion for dance and later joined the Louis Falco dance troupe. He subsequently danced with the Ralph Robinson ballet company until injuries curtailed his dance career.
Film Producing
Bender began producing films in 1989, co-producing the drama "Tale of Two Sisters" and producing the slasher film "Intruder." His breakthrough came with the production of "Reservoir Dogs," Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut. Over 17 years, Bender produced several more Tarantino films, including "Pulp Fiction," "Jackie Brown," "Kill Bill: Volume 1 and 2," and "Inglourious Basterds," earning Best Picture nominations for the latter two. He also received a nomination for Gus Van Sant's "Good Will Hunting." Other notable 90s productions include "Fresh," "White Man's Burden," "A Price Above Rubies," and "Anna and the King."
In 2001, Bender co-produced "The Mexican" and "Knockaround Guys." He produced "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" and "Innocent Voices" in 2004, followed by "The Chumscrubber" and "The Great Raid" in 2005. In 2006, Bender co-produced Davis Guggenheim's "An Inconvenient Truth," which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Other credits include "Killshot," Neil Jordan's "Greta," "Capone," and "The Harder They Fall." Bender also produced the documentary "Countdown to Zero" about the threat of nuclear warfare.
Television Producing
In the early 2000s, Bender, alongside Kevin Kelly Brown, founded Bender Brown Productions. Together, they produced the 2002 ABC television film "Nancy Drew" and later, the CBS series "Dr. Vegas" and Sci-Fi Channel miniseries "Earthsea." Recent series include the Netflix crime drama "Seven Seconds," CW's "Roswell, New Mexico," and Starz's "Flesh and Bone."
Other Activities
Passionate about social and political causes, Bender is on the board of the Creative Coalition, advocating for art and public policy. He is also a member of the Pacific Council and sits on the advisory board of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Bender is involved in the Global Zero campaign to eradicate nuclear weapons and has contributed to the Huffington Post since 2005.
Personal Life and Real Estate
Lawrence Bender, who has a daughter with ex-girlfriend Leasi Andrews, has never been married. In 1996, following the success of "Pulp Fiction," he purchased a home in Los Angeles for $3.4 million, now valued at approximately $15 million.
