Arnon Milchan (Hebrew: ארנון מילצ’ן; December 6, 1944) is an Israeli billionaire businessman who has produced over 130 full-length motion pictures. Milchan, the owner of New Regency Films, was an Israeli intelligence operative from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s.
Milchan produced numerous critical and financial successes. After co-producing Q&A (film), he formed Regency Enterprises. Regency’s film credits include Oscar winners and nominees, as well as popular financial hits, including 12 Years a Slave, L.A. Confidential, JFK, Heat, Fight Club, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and many more. He is an Israeli citizen and a resident of Israel.
Personal life
Milchan was born in 1944 in Rehovot, Mandatory Palestine. His family is Jewish. His father owned a fertilizer company, which Milchan inherited at the age of 21 upon his father’s sudden death. Over the years, Milchan turned the company into a successful chemical business. He also earned a degree from the London School of Economics, before he and his company (Milchan Brothers Ltd.) were recruited to LAKAM, a secret Israeli intelligence organization responsible for obtaining technology and material for Israel’s nuclear program, and other highly secretive programs.
Milchan was first married to French model, Brigitte Genmaire, and later divorced. He later married South African professional tennis player Amanda Coetzer.
Film industry, and other businesses
Milchan became involved in the American movie business in 1977, after an introduction to American producer Elliot Kastner. Most notable among Milchan’s film collaborations was his early work with Martin Scorsese. He developed close friendships with Robert De Niro, and directors Roman Polanski, Sergio Leone, Terry Gilliam and Oliver Stone. Milchan started his own production company in 1991 called New Regency Productions. Through his company Regency, in partnership with Warner Brothers, and later with Rupert Murdoch at 20th Century Fox, and other business ventures, such as Puma AG, Milchan acquired a net worth estimated at about $5.1 billion as of 2015.
Milchan has produced over 130 films, such as Noah, 12 Years a Slave, Once Upon a Time in America (1984) (in which he also makes a cameo appearance as the chauffeur), Brazil (1985), Pretty Woman (1990), Under Siege (1992), Natural Born Killers (1994), Boys on the Side (1995), L.A. Confidential (1997), Unfaithful (2002), and Knight and Day (2010), among others, to his credit. He was a producer on two more recent Oscar-winners for Best Motion Picture, 12 Years a Slave in 2014 and Birdman in 2015.
Milchan is also the owner of the WTA broadcasting rights. He was married to model Brigitte Genmaire. He is now married to former South African tennis professional Amanda Coetzer. He is owner of the network which transmits Israeli television programming to the United States and Canada. He is also a part owner of Israel’s TV Channel 10, and a former owner of Puma, the international sportswear line.
Source: