Worked as apprentice reporter and copy-editor at San Francisco News and The Wall Street Journal

Worked as a stringer for The New York Times

Became night editor and assistant drama critic for Fairchild Publications, New York

Made editorial director for the Milk Research Council, New York

Became associate editor, Street & Smith Publishers, New York

Served as 1st lieutenant with US Army military intelligence during WWII

Named associate editor, then executive editor and editor-in-chief, Liberty magazine, New York

Worked as editorial director for the national education campaign of the American Medical Association

Joined Cosmopolitan magazine as associate editor; then made managing editor

Contributed stories and articles to many national magazines such as Collier's, Harper's and Saturday Evening Post

Joined 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. as managing editor of the story department in L.A.

Made story editor and head of scenario department, 20th Century-Fox

Appointed member of executive staff of Darryl F Zanuck

Made member of executive staff, 20th Century-Fox studios and executive studio story editor

Became a producer for 20th Century-Fox

Left Fox to become editorial vice president, New American Library of World Literature, Inc

Returned to 20th Century-Fox as executive, story operations

Made vice president story operations, 20th Century-Fox

Promoted to executive vice president, creative affairs and member of the board of directors, 20th Century-Fox

Left Fox to join Warner Bros. as executive president of creative operations and member of the board of directors

Co-founded Zanuck/Brown Company with partner Richard Zanuck; dissolved company 1988

First films released by Zanuck/Brown, "Sssssss" and the Oscar-winning Best Picture "The Sting"

With Zanuck, produced "The Sugarland Express", which marked the feature directorial debut of Steven Spielberg

Was the producer of the Oscar-nominated "Jaws", helmed by Spielberg

Served as producer of the sequel "Jaws 2"

Produced (with Zanuck) "The Verdict"; received Best Picture Oscar nomination

Enjoyed a box-office hit as producer of "Cocoon"

Produced the sequel "Cocoon: The Return"

Founded and served as president, The Manhattan Project Ltd

Was a producer on the Academy Award nominated "A Few Good Men"

Produced "Kiss the Girls" and "The Saint"

Reteamed with Zanuck as producer of "Deep Impact"

Produced "Angela's Ashes", the film adaptation of Frank McCourt's memoir

Received Best Picture Oscar nomination as producer of "Chocolat"

Served as a producer on the semi-sequel "Along Came a Spider", with Morgan Freeman reprising his role as Dr Alex Cross (from "Kiss the Girls")

Served as producer of the stage musical adaptation of "Sweet Smell of Success"; production opened in Chicago before moving to NYC in spring 2002