Mark Damon, actor turned sales executive, dead at 91

By Yosi Yahoudai
Founder and Managing Partner

Damon won a Golden Globe for his role in “House of Usher” for director Roger Corman, who died just three days before Damon.

WASHINGTON — Mark Damon, an award-winning actor who later transitioned to the business side of the industry, has died, according to multiple media reports. He was 91. 

Damon died Sunday in Los Angeles of natural causes, family members told The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

He was born Alan Harris in Chicago and earned a degree at UCLA. 

Damon won the Golden Globe for Best New Star of the Year for his starring role in the 1960s “House of Usher” for director Roger Corman, who died Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, California. Damon went on to appear in Spaghetti Westerns and several Italian action films. 

When he returned to the U.S., Damon focused on the business of bringing American independent films to international distributors. In 2015, he told Variety that it marked his 40th consecutive year at the Cannes film festival. He described to the outlet how he had “about 17 hours of work a day” throughout the festival. This year’s edition of Cannes is set to begin on Tuesday. 

Later on in his entertainment career, he produced or executive produced around 60 feature films, according to The Hollywood Reporter. His long line of producing credits included “The NeverEnding Story,” “Monster” and “Lone Survivor.” 

Mark Damon, Actor Turned Indie Film Exec and ‘Monster’ Producer, Dies at 91 https://t.co/S5gqjVzbrA

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 13, 2024

He shared an Independent Spirit Award win with “Monster” director Patty Jenkins and other producers of the 2003 film starring Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci. Theron won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in “Monster.”  

During Luke Ford’s 2004 book “The Producers: Profiles in Frustration,” Damon is quoted as saying his claim to fame would be coming from an acting background and turning into “the godfather of independent films. The one who invented the foreign sales business. The one who invented ways to get films financed.” 

About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.