Peter Bart, Variety’s legendary and longtime editor-in-chief, is stepping down as head of the entertainment-industry bible he’s run for 20 years, according to well-placed Hollywood sources.
An announcement could come as soon as today, and includes word that Editor Tim Gray will take over the Hollywood trade paper’s day-to-day operations.
Long seen as one of Tinseltown’s most powerful behind-the-scenes figures, Bart, 76, is expected to remain affiliated with Variety through his daily column. He will also be named editorial director. Bart could not be reached for comment at press time.
Although Variety and its rival The Hollywood Reporter have experienced severe ad erosion this year, sources said that the paper did not move to push him out and that it was Bart’s decision to step down.
Bart will probably go down as one of the most well-connected editors ever to run a trade paper. In his storied career, he has been a journalist, a Hollywood film executive, talk-show host, documentary-film producer, novelist and nonfiction author.
His most famous career move came in the late 1960s, when, while working at Paramount Pictures, he and Bob Evans picked up the film rights to “The Godfather,” based on a 60-page treatment by author Mario Puzo before the novel became an international bestseller. The Francis Ford Coppola film won best picture Oscar in 1972 and is regularly hailed as one of the best Hollywood movies ever made.
He also was involved in a significant number of other period blockbusters, including “Rosemary’s Baby,” “True Grit” and “Harold and Maude.”
Bart joined Variety as editor-in-chief in 1989, saying he missed the journalism profession. However, his career was nearly undone by controversial remarks that appeared in a Los Angeles Magazine article, including what were said to be anti-Semitic, anti-gay and racist comments. He was suspended for 21 days, but returned to the helm of the paper afterward.