Overview
Richard Michael Brick (September 20, 1945 – April 2, 2014) was an American film producer, university teacher, and public official. Over several decades he moved between commercial production, academic instruction, and municipal service, becoming known for efforts to support film and theatre activity in New York City. For basic biographical summaries and film listings see biographical sources and his production credits at selected filmography.
Career in film
As a producer, Brick worked on projects that required coordination of creative teams, financing and logistical planning. His professional responsibilities typically included securing funding, organizing production schedules, and overseeing post-production processes. Contemporary accounts and career summaries describe him as someone who valued collaboration between filmmakers and city institutions and who brought practical production experience into the classroom. More detailed career notes and remembrances are available via industry and obituary pages such as contemporary notices.
Public service and city work
Brick served as Commissioner of New York City’s Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting. In that municipal role he worked to streamline permitting, improve location support for shoots, and promote the city as a production-friendly environment. His office liaised between filmmakers, community groups and municipal agencies to reduce conflicts and facilitate on-location work while balancing public interests. For information about the office and its mandate see city office resources.
Teaching and influence
Parallel to his production and public roles, Brick was a professor at Columbia University, where he taught and mentored students interested in producing and the business of film. He brought industry practices into academic settings, helping students understand both creative and commercial aspects of filmmaking. Columbia profiles and departmental pages summarized his teaching and involvement; more on his academic work can be found at Columbia faculty information.
Legacy and later life
Richard Brick died in New York City at age 68 from esophageal cancer. Obituaries and tributes noted his contributions to New York’s cultural life, his efforts to make the city accessible to productions, and his role as an educator who trained new generations of producers. For contemporary tributes and further reading consult the referenced links and industry memorials such as memorial coverage.
- Roles: film producer, Columbia professor, city commissioner
- Primary city: New York City
- Life span: 1945–2014
These points summarize Brick’s public life and professional orientations without exhaustive film-by-film detail. For research or citation purposes, the linked resources provide entry points to fuller lists of credits, institutional records, and contemporary obituaries: biography, film credits, academic profile, city office, and obituaries and notices.