Bill Immerman, veteran film executive, dies at 85

Veteran film executive Bill Immerman has breathed his last at the age of 85.

Immerman, who worked for American International Pictures, Fox, Cannon Pictures, Crusader Entertainment and the Yari Film Group during his long career, died June 24 of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles, his wife, Ginger Perkins, announced.

He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1959 and his doctor of law degree from Stanford Law School in 1963.

Immerman joined AIP in 1965 as associate counsel and rose to vice president in charge of business affairs and a production executive, working on features including Wild in the Streets (1968), Three in the Attic (1968) and An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe (1970).

During his tenure, Fox released Young Frankenstein (1974), The Omen (1976), Star Wars (1977) and Silver Streak (1976), and he was the executive in charge of the original 1975-79 Broadway production of The Wiz.

From 1979-90, he served as chairman and president of Cinema Group Inc., which raised start-up money from Wall Street through an initial private placement and subsequent public offering.