Norman J. Grossfeld

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Norman J. Grossfeld
Born (1963-12-15) December 15, 1963 (age 60)
New York City, New York, U.S.
EducationNew York UniversityTisch School of the Arts
Occupation(s)Television executive, record producer, director, producer and screenwriter
Known forPokémon
Yu-Gi-Oh!

Norman J. Grossfeld (born December 15, 1963) is an American director, television producer, record producer, screenwriter and media executive. From February 1994[1] to December 2009, he was the president of 4Kids Productions, a former subsidiary of 4Kids Entertainment and Leisure Concepts. He produced the English adaptations of the first eight seasons of the Pokémon TV series and five seasons of Yu-Gi-Oh!. He produced five seasons of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, five Pokémon movies, and one Yu-Gi-Oh! movie for 4KidsTV.[2] In addition to producing and executive producing, Grossfeld co-wrote most of the Pokémon films, which grossed over $600 million worldwide.[3] Grossfeld is credited with writing the Pokémon franchise's tagline, "Gotta catch 'em all!"[4] He was also an executive producer for the anime One Piece.[5][6]

An accomplished lyricist and musician, Grossfeld contributed to several tracks on the Pokémon 2.B.A. Master soundtrack album, the first released for the English localization of the Pokémon anime. The album was a commercial success, rising to the top of the US Billboard Kids Albums Chart and garnering RIAA Gold certification with over 500,000 units sold.[7] He also wrote both the main and ending theme songs for Sonic X and Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, and the English ending theme song to Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker.

Grossfeld also developed and co-wrote the successful stage adaptation of the Pokémon series, which premiered at Radio City Music Hall and toured the United States and Canada in late 2000 to early 2001.[8]

Before his role as president of 4Kids, Grossfeld was a producer and director at Television Programming Enterprises from 1988 to 1991, worked at NBC Sports from 1991 to 1992 as a coordinating director, and spent 1992 through 1994 as president of the television production company Gold Coast Television Entertainment.[2]

Grossfeld broke new ground in reality television with NBC's InSport, a show that set the stage for sports magazine series now on the air. Grossfeld has also produced, written and/or directed a variety of television programs, including Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous hosted by Robin Leach.[9]

A member of the Directors Guild of America, Grossfeld directed coverage of several Olympic Games for NBC, including the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. In 1996, Grossfeld won the International Olympic Committee's highest honor, the Golden Rings, for his direction of the live sports coverage of the 1996 Olympic Games.[9]

Grossfeld is of Jewish background.[10]

Filmography[edit]

Movies[edit]

Year Title Role
1999 Pokémon: The First Movie Writer, producer[11][12][5][6]
2000 Pokémon: The Movie 2000 Writer, producer[6][13]
2001 Pokémon 3: The Movie Writer,[14] producer[6][15]
2002 Pokémon 4Ever Writer,[5] executive producer[16]
2003 Pokémon Heroes Executive producer[17]
2004 Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker Writer,[6] producer, ending theme songwriter
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light Writer, executive producer[6][18]
2005 Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys Writer, producer [6]

Television[edit]

Year Title Role
1986 Fame, Fortune & Romance Director[5][6]
1987 Runaway With the Rich and Famous Director[5][6]
1988 Rich and Famous 1988 World's Best Associate producer[5][6]
1988 Masters of the Martial Arts Presented by Wesley Snipes Writer[6]
1993 Campbell's Portrait of a Teacher Field producer[5][6]
1995 WMAC Masters Executive producer[19]
1998 Pokémon Writer, executive producer,[5][6] songwriter[20]
2001 Cubix Writer, executive producer, theme songwriter[5][6]
Yu-Gi-Oh! Executive producer,[5][6] songwriter[21]
2002 Kirby: Right Back at Ya! Executive producer, theme songwriter
2003 Sonic X Executive producer, theme songwriter
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Executive producer, theme songwriter[22]
2004 One Piece Executive producer[5][6]
2005 Winx Club Executive producer
2006 Viva Pinata Executive producer
2008 Adventures in Voice Acting Interviewee

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "10-K". edgar-online.com. January 4, 1996. p. 16. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Norman Grossfeld Profile – Forbes.com". Archived from the original on September 12, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  3. ^ "'Pokémon' at 15: Success is still in the cards, films and TV shows". herocomplex.latimes.com. April 11, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  4. ^ Myers, Andy (August 2005). "Built to Last: The history of Pokémon". Nintendo Power. No. 194. pp. 56–61.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Norman J. Grossfield". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Norman J. Grossfeld Filmography". inbaseline.com.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum". riaa.com. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  8. ^ "Pokemon Live!".
  9. ^ a b "Cast&Crew Yu-Gi-OH". cinemareview.com. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  10. ^ "Jewish Insider's Daily Kickoff: December 15, 2017". Haaretz.
  11. ^ Rauzi, Robin (November 10, 1999). "All's Not Right in Pokemon World". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  12. ^ Moret, Jim (November 11, 1999). "Pokémon craze moves to theaters". CNN. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  13. ^ Johnson, Malcolm (July 21, 2000). "Ecological Pokémon On Parade". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  14. ^ Garin, Nina (April 7, 2001). "'Pokémon 3' takes all ages on an emotional adventure". The San Diego Union – Tribune. San Diego, California. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  15. ^ Friedman, Lisa (April 6, 2001). "'Pokémon' churns out yet another sequel Movie Review". Daily Herald. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  16. ^ Koehler, Robert (October 7, 2002). "Pokémon 4ever. (Film Review)". Daily Variety. Reed Business Information, Inc. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  17. ^ "Pokemon Heroes Details". Metacritic. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  18. ^ Koehler, Robert (August 12, 2004). "Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  19. ^ Hinman, Catherine (November 20, 1995). "Martial Arts Show Back At Universal". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  20. ^ "Two Perfect Girls". allmusic.com. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  21. ^ "I'm Back". allmusic.com. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  22. ^ "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles End Credits". Archived from the original on November 5, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2009.

External links[edit]