Bob Broder, the veteran entertainment industry attorney, agent and executive at Chuck Lorre Productions, has died. He was 85.
Broder died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles during Rosh Hashanah after a battle with cancer, his family announced.
“In Jewish tradition, passing away on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, holds deep spiritual meaning,” they said. “It is believed that a person who dies on this holy day is viewed as a tzaddik, a person of exceptional righteousness.”
His career as an agent spanned more than four decades, and his clients included Lorre, TV director and 10-time Emmy winner James Burrows and Modern Family co-creator Christopher Lloyd.
He represented and packaged numerous TV series, including Cheers, Frasier, Dharma & Greg, The X-Files, The King of Queens, Touched by an Angel, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly and Modern Family.
In 1978, he co-founded the Broder Kurland Agency, which was acquired by ICM in 2006.
In September 2012, shortly after he brokered a new four-year overall deal for Lorre with Warner Bros. Television, Broder exited ICM to take the helm of Chuck Lorre Productions. There, he managed all business operations at the company as Lorre concentrated on the creative side — writing, producing and developing such sitcoms as Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, Mom, The Kominsky Method and Mike & Molly.
“I said he should quit being one of the most successful literary agents in the history of the business and help me run it,” Lorre said then. “To my amazement, he said yes.”
Noted his family: “Bob’s deep understanding of the business and strong client loyalty made him an indispensable asset in handling intricate negotiations, including the management buyout that resulted in the formation of ICM Partners as an agent-owned company.
“He also used his post to guide the next generation, using his institutional knowledge to mentor to emerging and established professionals in the industry such as assistants, coordinators, colleagues and top agents.
“His career spanned genres and mediums, and he used his foundational knowledge of the industry to seamlessly navigate an ever-changing Hollywood landscape.”
A dedicated philanthropist, Broder served on the board of charities including The Center for Early Education and The Saban Clinic. Donations may be made in his honor to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International or the Saban clinic.
Survivors include his wife, Cindy, his daughter, Julie, and his son, Greg.
“Bob accepted his cancer diagnosis with grace and dignity, as he did with everything,” his family added. “He also loved playing poker, hosting cigar Fridays in his garden with his buddies and doting on his golden retrievers.”