Name Jimmy Cummings Role Voice actor | Albums Chalkzone: In the Zone | |
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Spouse Stephanie Cummings (m. 2001) Similar People Jeff Bennett, Frank Welker, Rob Paulsen, Sterling Holloway, Jeremy Irons | ||
Jimmy Cummings (born April 20, 1968 in South Boston, Massachusetts) is an American actor, writer and producer and is the founder and CEO of Broadview Entertainment. Cummings is most recognized for his writing and acting in the movie Southie which won the American Independent Filmmaker Award at the 24th annual Seattle International Film Festival. He is also a co-founder of Journey Forward, a non-profit organization dedicated to bettering the lives of those who have suffered a Spinal Cord Injury.
Over his 27-year career in the entertainment industry, Jimmy Cummings has earned a reputation as a gifted executive who understands the entirety of the development process that is necessary to transform ideas into entertainment ready for both the big and small screens. With a keen eye for spotting talent, and intuitive instincts for knowing what makes for a good story, Jimmy’s honed skills allow him to be more than just a one-note producer. He is instead an all-around force of nature contributing every step of the way, from conceptualizing a brand able idea, to script development, securing financing, attaining distribution, marketing and beyond.
Jimmy has played a role, in various capacities, on a number of successful film and television projects including “The Sixth Sense,” “The Fighter,” “Diamond Men,” “Ash Wednesday,” “How Sweet It Is,” “Dreamcatcher,” “Annapolis,” “Band Of Brothers,” “The Practice,” “Purgatory,” “Boomtown” and “Taking Of Pelham 1,2,3.” He produced the award-winning war documentary “Baker Boys: Inside The Surge,” which aired on the Discovery Channel and Netflix; and was instrumental in the development process of Comedy Central's primetime breakout hit “Workaholics,” now in its seventh season. Jimmy credits his success to working alongside, and learning from, such industry icons as Academy Award nominated cinematographer and director Andrzej Bartkowiak, producers Walter Hill and Gale Anne Hurd, director M. Night Shyamalan, actor/director John Shea, and studio executive Jim Cardwell, who taught him the distribution game of capitalizing on profits while maximizing revenue streams.
In 2014, Jimmy brought together a distinguished group of creative professionals and founded Broadvision Entertainment (BVE), with the goal of developing and producing a slate of movies and TV serials that deliver commercial content appealing to all audiences. Their most recent feature film, “Grey Lady,” was co-produced with Armyan Bernstein and Suzann Ellis of Beacon Pictures and purchased by Lionsgate for worldwide distribution. The film, starring Eric Dane, Amy Madigan, Adrian Lester and Natalie Zea, was the highest performing domestic independent film the week it launched and is now available on PPV, SVOD, and DVD. Jimmy also played the key role of Detective Marty Maloney in the film.
BVE is currently producing a sci-fi movie with Elika Portnoy (“Beasts of No Nation,” “I.T.”) and her Mutressa Movies titled “Scentience,” written by BVE partner Tony Scott and co-produced by Jean Su (“Grey Lady”). On the television side, BVE recently wrapped the pilot for “Dr. Sugar,” a TV series Jimmy developed and produced with Executive Producer Lou Fusaro (“Californication,” “Ray Donovan”) and writer/director Paul Saleba. Jimmy also co-created and developed a reality TV series called “Grudge Match,” which he is shopping to networks with a sizzle reel he produced. Additionally, he co-created and co-wrote a TV series called “White Noose,” with his lifelong friend Seamus P. Fitzgerald, based on Fitzgerald’s fraternity-like experiences in a catholic seminary in the late 1990’s. Jimmy is producing with the help of Peabody and Emmy award winning producer/actor Gil Bellows (“Temple Grandin,” “Patriot”).
Jimmy began his career studying acting at the prestigious HB Studios and The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. After landing starring roles in films such as “The Compulsion” directed by Peter Gould, “Close Up,” and the Sundance favorite “Ed’s Next Move,” Jimmy began to produce a project he wrote called “Southie,” set in his hometown of Boston. He was able to secure financing and recruit actor/director John Shea, best known for his portrayal of Lex Luthor in the hit television show “Lois and Clark: The Adventures of Superman” and the film “Missing” (winner of the Palm d'Or), to make his directorial debut. He was also able to fill the cast with a number of, at the time, up-and-coming talents including Will Arnett (“Arrested Development”), Rose McGowan (“Charmed”), Amanda Peete (“Transparent”) and he gave Donnie Wahlberg his feature debut as a leading man.
“Southie” became the first movie to be shot entirely in South Boston, and was selected to screen at multiple film festivals including AFI, Montreal, Nantucket, New York and Dublin. It won the “Jury Prize, Best Picture” at the 24th Annual Seattle International Film Festival, which led to a theatrical distribution deal with Lionsgate. The film opened in Boston in May 1999 to good reviews and strong box office coming in second only to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. The Hollywood Reporter touts the film’s ‘raw talent’ on display, singling out Cummings’ vivid performance. Film critic Jay Carr of The Boston Globe wrote that the film had “heartfelt urgency” with “an intense individual and communal commitment that seems to boil up from the streets.” Carr added: “There is no question that Jimmy Cummings, who wrote the film, has successfully captured the flavor of his South Boston roots, or that Shea's direction transfers it to the screen with gritty intensity." James Verniere of the Boston Herald gave it three stars praising the film’s “powerful performances” with an “electric charge especially by leading man Donnie Wahlberg. Jimmy Cummings brings a terrific sense of malevolent entitlement to the role of the Southie spoiled hothead: Joey Ward.” He added: “the film evokes the soul-gripping tediousness of this world and the way the past can cast its shadow over everything, imprisoning an entire community. Southie has the ring of truth."
Because of his success with the film, Jimmy was given the “Keys to the City” in a ceremony officiated by Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. Jimmy also helped lead the way in getting the Massachusetts Tax Incentive passed after his impassioned testimony compelled the Massachusetts State Senate to approve the measure. Hundreds of projects have since been shot throughout the state.
In 2006, Jimmy joined GigaPix Studios, an independent studio specializing in film, television and animation, as the Head of Development. It was here that he produced “Baker Boys: Inside The Surge,” which originally aired on Discovery and later became an audience favorite on Netflix. It was also at GigaPix that he developed and nurtured the creation of “Workaholics.” Prior to GigaPix, Jimmy was the CEO at a company he founded called Silent Partner Entertainment. Jimmy brought the story of Irish boxer Mickey Ward to light and tried to sell it the studios. Initially, every studio passed on what ultimately became the Academy Award winning film “The Fighter.” But it was Jimmy that created a twenty-two minute sizzle reel that caused a heated bidding war between all five major Hollywood studios. Paramount Pictures eventually won the rights.
In addition to these accomplishments, Jimmy has sold several screenplays he wrote including “Working Class Hero” that Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Motion Pictures bought, and “One Man Army” to Elie Samaha’s Franchise Pictures. Jimmy co-created the television show “Morse Code” (aka “Bunker Hill”) with Donnie Wahlberg, bought by TNT. He was hired by Joel Silver at Warner Brothers to write a screenplay, “Camp Salvation.” He was also offered the head-writing job on Joel Silver’s “The Strip.”
As Jimmy’s career was taking off, his youngest brother Dan broke his neck in a tragic diving accident. Dan survived after spending six weeks in intensive care. Inspired by Dan’s will to walk again, Jimmy raised the necessary funds and co-founded a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization with Dan called Journey Forward (http://journey-forward.org/). The foundation is dedicated to bettering the lives of those who have suffered spinal cord injuries, through an intensive exercise program. Jimmy currently serves as Vice Chairman on the Board of Directors.
Jimmy loves his life and happily lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.
Personal life
'Jimmy Cummings' born James Michael Cummings on April 20, 1968, in South Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He was named after the city's most influential mayor, James Michael Curley. Both parents, 2nd generation Southie natives of Irish descent, Kathleen Geighegan married John D. Cummings on May 11, 1960 and over the next eighteen years had seven children. Five boys, Johnny, Tommy, Jimmy, Timmy & Danny, and two girls, Kathleen & Colleen. Things were looking up for this loving family until the devastatingly dark night of February 25, 1982 when Jack Cummings, 42, life was ripped away from his young wife and family. Jimmy's father was mowed down by a drunk driver in Andrew Square, leaving his mother, Kathleen, to raise seven children all alone. Knowing she had a rough road ahead, Mrs. Cummings refused to let this tragedy destroy her or and after 17 years of being a homemaker, she went back to work. Instead of allowing her kids to play the victim, she encouraged the older boys to work. At age 13, like his brothers, Jimmy began working full time at the Blades and Boards Club located beneath parquet floor and ice inside the infamous Boston Garden, home to the Boston Bruins and Celtics where he was a dishwasher and known to sneak friends in almost every game. Following year, Jimmy attended Xaverian Brothers High School where he lettered in varsity football. Although, the team of underdogs were rarely ranked in the conference standings, the Xaverian Hawks won several championships, with years of those years going undefeated, which also included a healthy family football rivalry when Jimmy recovered a fumble causing the Hawk to beat his older brother Tommy's team, Boston Latin School, oldest and most prestigious school in America at 375 years old and counting. It was Jimmy's teachers and friends at Xaverian who inspired him to be a winner. He credits teachers, Mr. Bob Balachi for keeping him honest, Mr. Dominic Lalli for the discipline, responsibility and opportunity to do things right a second time. Mr. Alex Salachi for recognizing Jimmy's ability to write and tell a story. And, Coach Fitz (AKA: The Iceman) for being an example of a good guy and Mr. Charlie Stevenson for inspiring his players to be ruthless beasts on the playing field and accountable men everywhere else.
After graduating high school in 1986, Jimmy scored employment at General Electric Company doing residential air conditioning and refrigeration while where he became an HVAC master repairman. His first year at the company Jimmy earned the company's most prestigious award top-tech of the year 1990. An award he credits his mother for inspiring his work ethic... Shortly thereafter, Jimmy had a calling for the arts and followed his aspiastions, painfully leaving his Boston roots and breed behind, heading for the stage in NYC where his true aspirations gave way.
After 10 tears in NYC as a stage actor, Cummings soon made his first film, SOUTHIE... the success of Southie landed him a career in Hollywood were he creates Film & TV Shows. Jimmy gratefully resides in the Wilshire Vista area of LA with his wife and two children who he adores.