Tony Award-winning producer James Nederlander dies at 94

NEW YORK—James M. Nederlander, who took over the Nederlander Organization from his father and built it into one of the largest producers of live entertainment and a dominant national theater chain that includes nine Broadway houses, has died. He was 94.

“The world has lost one of its great impresarios,” said his son, James L. Nederlander, who confirmed his father died on Monday. No cause was given.

Known as Jimmy, the elder Nederlander produced or co-produced more than 100 shows including “Annie,” ”Copenhagen,” ”The Will Rogers Follies,” ”Les Liaisons Dangereuses,” ”La Cage aux Folles,” ”Nine,” ”Noises Off” and “The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.”

Nederlander famously rejected anyone who claimed to have a rational way to predict which shows would be hits as opposed to flops. “Nobody can,” he would say. “I trust my gut.”

He won a dozen Tony Awards as a producer or co-producer— including a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2004—and has presented operas, ballets, concerts and artists ranging from Rudolf Nureyev to Frank Sinatra to U2.

The Nederlander Organization is one of three big theater chains on Broadway. The Shubert Organization owns 16 theaters outright, and Jujamcyn Theaters owns five. Nederlander’s stable is bigger than its rivals once its theaters nationwide and in London are added to the mix.

One of Jimmy Nederlander’s legacies was his backing of The National High School Musical Theater Awards. The annual competition culminates each June with a trip to New York, mentoring from veterans and then a night of performances from dozens of hopefuls from across the country. They are called The Jimmy Awards.