Mark Cronin

Mark Cronin
Occupation	Television producer, Writer

Mark Cronin is an American television producer and writer.

Biography

Cronin graduated from Upper Darby High School and the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in Chemical Engineering. He spent five years working as an engineer in research and marketing.^[1] His first job in entertainment was moonlighting as a freelance joke writer for an Ace Award winning newsbreak spoof on Nick at Nite called Global Village News.^{[citation needed]}

Cronin switched careers permanently when he joined Howard Stern’s nationally syndicated Saturday night television show The Howard Stern Show (also known as the infamous Channel 9 Show) as a staff writer in 1991.^[2] His responsibilities expanded to include scripting entire episodes, producing celebrity interviews, and producing comedic field pieces.^[3] He went on to contribute to Stern’s national radio show^{[citation needed]} and serve as producer/writer on his television and video projects, including Stern's New Year's Rotten Eve pay per view special^[4] — the most watched entertainment pay per view event of all time.^[5] Cronin also scripted an entire E! Entertainment Television special for Stern’s book Miss America.^[6]

In 1995, he moved to Los Angeles to become head writer for MTV’s dating show Singled Out with Chris Hardwick and Jenny McCarthy. He eventually was promoted to show-runner for two seasons.^{[citation needed]}

In 1996, Cronin joined the Fox network, supervising production for their first prime-time game show, Big Deal. In 1997, he returned to late night and served as supervising producer for The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show.^{[citation needed]}

In 1997 Cronin founded Mindless Entertainment with then-partner Gary Auerbach, who left the company in 2001. The inspiration for the company name came from Cronin's mother, who called TV "that mindless entertainment". Mindless' initial production slate included The X Show and The New Movie Show with Chris Gore for FX; Beat the Geeks for Comedy Central; America's Most Talented Kids for PAX; Ultimate Film Fanatic for Independent Film Channel; and Cram and Extreme Dodgeball for GSN.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004 Cronin’s Mindless Entertainment teamed up with Cris Abrego’s 51 Pictures to form 51 Minds Entertainment — the company that produces VH1’s lineup of reality television. Anchored by the "Celebreality" flagship show The Surreal Life the company went on to create related shows including Strange Love, with Flavor Flav and Brigette Nielsen; My Fair Brady with Christopher Knight and Adrianne Curry; The Surreal Life Fame Games; Flavor of Love; I Love New York; and Rock of Love with Bret Michaels.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008, Endemol USA acquired a controlling interest in 51 Minds in a deal reported to be worth upward of $200 million.^[7]

Productions

• America's Most Smartest Model
• America's Most Talented Kids
• America's Next Top Zombie Idol
• Beat the Geeks
• Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business
• Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It
• Bridalplasty
• Celebrity Paranormal Project
• Charm School
• Cram
• Daisy of Love
• Extreme Dodgeball
• Famous Food
• Flavor of Love
• For the Love of Ray J
• Frank the Entertainer in a Basement Affair
• Gotti's Way
• Hurt Bert
• I Love Money
• I Love New York
• La La's Full Court Life
• La La's Full Court Wedding
• Mario Lopez: Saved By the Baby
• Megan Wants a Millionaire
• Money Hungry
• My Fair Brady
• The New Movie Show with Chris Gore
• New York Goes to Hollywood
• New York Goes to Work
• Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch
• Real and Chance: The Legend Hunters
• Real Chance of Love
• Rock of Love
• Rock of Love: Charm School
• Strange Love
• The Surreal Life
• The Surreal Life: Fame Games
• Ton of Cash
• Ultimate Film Fanatic
• Ultimate Zoo
• Who Wants to Be Governor of California: The Debating Game
• The X Life
• The X Show

References

1. ^ "Wall of Fame: Mark Cronin". Upper Darby High School. http://www.udsd.k12.pa.us/alumni/wof_3.php?id=38. Retrieved February 9, 2009. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ Hontz, Jenny (July 1, 1998). "Auerbach, Cronin Sign Deal with Fox". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117478090.html?categoryid=14&cs=1. Retrieved February 2, 2009. 
3. ^ "Reality Light". http://www.upenn.edu/gazette/1107/pro01.html. 
4. ^ Hontz, Jenny (July 1, 1998). "Auerbach, Cronin Sign Deal with Fox". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117478090.html?categoryid=14&cs=1. Retrieved February 2, 2009. 
5. ^ Sirius Satellite Radio - Howard Stern And Sirius Announce The Most Important Deal In Radio History
6. ^ Hontz, Jenny (July 1, 1998). "Auerbach, Cronin Sign Deal with Fox". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117478090.html?categoryid=14&cs=1. Retrieved February 2, 2009. 
7. ^ Adalian, Josef (April 1, 2008). "Endemol lands reality house". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117983297.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1&query=51+Minds. Retrieved February 9, 2009. 

External links

• Mark Cronin at the Internet Movie Database

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