Anecdotes

First cousin of composer and singer Danny Elfman. Mark's mother and Danny's father were siblings.

Founded Vision International in 1987.

He is of Romanian Jewish and Polish Jewish descent.

Started Media 8 Productions in 2003.

Started MDP Worldwide in 1993.

In 1977, Damon founded Producers Sales Organization (PSO).

In the 1960s, he became a star of spaghetti westerns.

Damon produced or executive produced over 70 films and played a role in 50 films, and his films received 10 Oscar nominations including: the 2005 Academy Award winner Monster, starring Charlize Theron; the critically acclaimed, multi-Oscar nominated World War II drama Das Boot, directed by Wolfgang Petersen; and The NeverEnding Story, also directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

His early visionary contributions to the international distribution of independently produced films are widely recognized and he has developed a reputation in the entertainment industry as not only one of the leading producers and distributors of independent films, but as the "legendary Mark Damon" for his contribution to independent film finance structures by developing the industry-standard practice of pre-selling foreign rights and banking the distribution contracts.

Damon eventually gave up acting in the mid-1970s to become one of Hollywood's most prolific producers.

As a senior in high school, he was scouted as an actor by Groucho Marx, but chose to attend dental school at UCLA. He soon switched to the Anderson School of Management, eventually graduating with an MBA and a BA in English.

He won the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actor for his performance in Roger Corman's House of Usher, before moving to Italy and becoming a notable Spaghetti Western star and member of the 1960s 'Dolce Vita' set of actors and actresses in Rome.

Damon's productions have grossed over $2 billion in theatrical box office worldwide.

Damon moved to Los Angeles at a young age where he attended Fairfax High School.

Damon has been directly involved in the international licensing of over 300 feature length pictures, including such noteworthy box-office titles as the James Bond film Never Say Never Again, directed by Irvin Kershner and starring Sean Connery, Prizzi's Honor, directed by John Huston and featuring Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston, Once Upon A Time In America, directed by Sergio Leone and featuring Robert De Niro and James Woods, The Cotton Club, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and featuring Richard Gere and The Final Countdown, starring Kirk Douglas.

Died three days after his "La chute de la maison Usher (1960)" director Roger Corman.

Initially studied dentistry at UCLA.

A biography was published in 2008, titled "From Cowboy to Mogul to Monster: The Neverending Story of Film Pioneer Mark ".

Under contract to 20th Century Fox from 1956.

Studied at the Anderson School of Management, eventually graduating with an MBA and a BA in English.

Buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park. Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles County, California.