Sidney Kimmel
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Sidney J. Kimmel (born January 16, 1928) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and film producer. He is ranked 2141st in the ''
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'' list of the richest people alive in 2021.


Personal life

Kimmel was born into a Jewish family in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Pennsylvania, the son of a cab driver."About Sidney Kimmel"
''
Johns Hopkins Medicine The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM) is the medical school of Johns Hopkins University, a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Established in 1893 following the construction of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, the ...
''. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
He attended
Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist ministe ...
, but did not graduate. He now lives in California with his wife Caroline Davis, the former wife of Leonard Tose. Kimmel is featured on '' Old Jews Telling Jokes''. Kimmel and his wife bought
Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, and writer best known as the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson is a cultural phenomenon and w ...
's former estate, a property that sits on the Point Dume promontory in Malibu, California, in 2007 for $46 million. In 2017, they placed the property on the market for $81.5 million. They reduced the price to $65.2 million in August 2018.


Career

Kimmel founded
Jones Apparel Group Nine West Holdings (formerly The Jones Group and Jones Apparel Group) is an American designer, marketer and wholesaler of branded clothing, shoes and accessories. In 2019, the company restructured under the new name Premier Brands Group Holding ...
in 1970 while working at W. R. Grace and Company. Five years later, he purchased Jones Apparel Group with a partner. Notable lines produced by Kimmel include Jones New York, Evan-Picone, and 9 West; he also has licensing deals with
Ralph Lauren Ralph Lauren ( ; ; born October 14, 1939) is an American fashion designer, philanthropist, and billionaire businessman, best known for founding the brand Ralph Lauren (brand), Ralph Lauren, a global multibillion-dollar enterprise. He stepped do ...
. He stepped down as chief executive officer of Jones in 2002 and sold most of his shares in the publicly traded company, but remained chairman of the board of directors until the sale of the company to Sycamore Partners in 2014. Kimmel funded the erotic drama '' 9½ Weeks''. He owns art, real estate, a film production company Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, and a small stake in the professional
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
basketball team
Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...
.


Sidney Kimmel Entertainment

Founded in 2004, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment (SKE) is a Los Angeles-based production, finance and distribution company headed by Kimmel. Films produced include SKE and
Screen Gems Screen Gems is an American film production company owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate, Sony Group Corporation. ''Screen Gems'' has served several different purposes for its parent companies over the de ...
' 2010 remake '' Death at a Funeral'' (2010 film), '' The Kite Runner'' (2007), '' United 93'', '' Breach'', '' Lars and the Real Girl'', ''Adventureland'', ''
Synecdoche, New York ''Synecdoche, New York'' ( ) is a 2008 American postmodern psychological drama film written and directed by Charlie Kaufman in his directorial debut. The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as Caden Cotard, a theater director whose attempt to ...
'', '' Gone'' (2012), ''
The Place Beyond the Pines ''The Place Beyond the Pines'' is a 2012 American Epic film, epic Crime film, crime drama film directed by Derek Cianfrance with a screenplay by Cianfrance, Ben Coccio and Darius Marder from a story by Cianfrance and Coccio. The film tells thre ...
'' (2012) and '' The Age of Adaline''.


Philanthropy

Kimmel is an active philanthropist with an emphasis on healthcare, education, arts and culture. His goal is to donate $1 billion in total throughout his lifetime.Lahm, Jessica (December 19, 2023)
"Sidney Kimmel"
''Faces of Philanthropy''. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
In 1993, Kimmel founded the Sidney Kimmel Foundation. The foundation's Cancer Research division pledged to contribute $120 million to institutions serving healthcare, education, arts and culture. Later, in 2001, the Sidney Kimmel Foundation for Cancer Research donated $150 million to
Johns Hopkins University The Johns Hopkins University (often abbreviated as Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1876 based on the European research institution model, J ...
. The donation became the largest single gift ever received by the University, and was directed toward the development of a residence for cancer patients undergoing extended treatment. The gift inspired the university to name the residence the
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University is an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Baltimore, MD. It was established in 1973 and received its NCI designation that same year as one of the first designated ...
. In total Kimmel has his name attached to four separate cancer-research centers in Philadelphia, New York, San Diego and Baltimore. The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at
Johns Hopkins Hospital Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1889, Johns Hopkins Hospital and its school of medicine are considered to be the foundin ...
as well as the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at
Thomas Jefferson University Thomas Jefferson University is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Established in its earliest form in 1824, the university officially combined with Philadelphia University in 2017. ...
carry his name. The Jefferson Medical College was renamed the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of
Thomas Jefferson University Thomas Jefferson University is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Established in its earliest form in 1824, the university officially combined with Philadelphia University in 2017. ...
in June 2014, following a $110 million grant from the Sidney Kimmel Foundation, the fifth-largest ever gift to a medical school. As of April 2003, Kimmel and the Sidney Kimmel Foundation had donated an estimated $400 million. Kimmel has also contributed over $35 million to the center for the performing arts in Philadelphia, which is now named The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and is home to the world-renowned
Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription concerts, n ...
. Other contributions from Kimmel include a $5 million donation to The
National Constitution Center The National Constitution Center is a non-profit institution that is devoted to the study of the Constitution of the United States. Located at the Independence Mall (Philadelphia), Independence Mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the center is a ...
in Philadelphia; a $20 million donation to Raymond and Ruth Perelman Jewish Day School in Philadelphia and $25 million for the establishment of a new prostate and urological cancer center at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York. In 2003 Kimmel pledged $25 million to The National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. The construction was said to have cost in total $100 million, and opened in 2006 on the museum's existing site facing Independence Mall. Kimmel donated $25 million to
Stand Up To Cancer Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is a charitable organization that was established as a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF). In 2022, SU2C was separately incorporated and was recognized by the IRS as a Section 501(c)(3) public charit ...
. In 2025
Kimmel and his wife contributed 27.5 million
to support the soon-to-be-constructed Caroline Kimmel Pavilion for Arts and Communication at
Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist ministe ...
. This is the largest gift in the university's history, and the new building will serve as the new home for Temple's Klein College of Media and Communication and the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts. It is set to open in the fall of 2027.


Support for cold fusion research

Kimmel has given $5.5 million to the
University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou or MU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri, United States. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Univers ...
to create the Sidney Kimmel Institute for Nuclear Renaissance, SKINR, where researchers will ''"figure out why excess heat has been observed when
hydrogen Hydrogen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol H and atomic number 1. It is the lightest and abundance of the chemical elements, most abundant chemical element in the universe, constituting about 75% of all baryon, normal matter ...
or
deuterium Deuterium (hydrogen-2, symbol H or D, also known as heavy hydrogen) is one of two stable isotopes of hydrogen; the other is protium, or hydrogen-1, H. The deuterium nucleus (deuteron) contains one proton and one neutron, whereas the far more c ...
interacts with materials such as
palladium Palladium is a chemical element; it has symbol Pd and atomic number 46. It is a rare and lustrous silvery-white metal discovered in 1802 by the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston. He named it after the asteroid Pallas (formally 2 Pallas), ...
,
nickel Nickel is a chemical element; it has symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel is a hard and ductile transition metal. Pure nickel is chemically reactive, but large pieces are slo ...
or
platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
under extreme conditions."'', Originally named "
cold fusion Cold fusion is a hypothesized type of nuclear reaction that would occur at, or near, room temperature. It would contrast starkly with the nuclear fusion, "hot" fusion that is known to take place naturally within Main sequence, stars and artific ...
," nowadays the name low-energy nuclear reaction (LENR) is also used.


Filmography

Producer * '' 9½ Weeks'' (1986) * '' Neverwas'' (2005) * '' Trust the Man'' (2005) * '' Slow Burn'' (2005) * ''
Alpha Dog ''Alpha Dog'' is a 2006 American crime drama film written and directed by Nick Cassavetes. It is based on the true story of the kidnapping and murder of Nicholas Markowitz in 2000. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Foste ...
'' (2006) * '' Copying Beethoven'' (2006) * '' Griffin & Phoenix'' (2006) * '' Death at a Funeral'' (2007) * '' Talk to Me'' (2007) * '' Charlie Bartlett'' (2007) * '' Married Life'' (2007) * '' Lars and the Real Girl'' (2007) * ''
Synecdoche, New York ''Synecdoche, New York'' ( ) is a 2008 American postmodern psychological drama film written and directed by Charlie Kaufman in his directorial debut. The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as Caden Cotard, a theater director whose attempt to ...
'' (2008) * ''
Management Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a Government agency, government bodies through business administration, Nonprofit studies, nonprofit management, or the political s ...
'' (2008) * ''All God's Children Can Dance'' (2008) * '' Adventureland'' (2009) * '' Death at a Funeral'' (2010) * '' The Lincoln Lawyer'' (2011) * ''
One for the Money "One for the Money" is an English-language children's rhyme. Children have used it as early as the 1820s to count before starting a race or other activity. The full rhyme reads as: One for the money, Two for the show; Three to make ready, And f ...
'' (2012) * '' Gone'' (2012) * ''
The Place Beyond the Pines ''The Place Beyond the Pines'' is a 2012 American Epic film, epic Crime film, crime drama film directed by Derek Cianfrance with a screenplay by Cianfrance, Ben Coccio and Darius Marder from a story by Cianfrance and Coccio. The film tells thre ...
'' (2012) * '' Stand Up Guys'' (2012) * '' Parker'' (2013) * '' All Is Bright'' (2013) * '' Mr. Morgan's Last Love'' (2023) (Co-producer) * ''
I, Frankenstein ''I, Frankenstein'' is a 2014 American science fantasy action film written and directed by Stuart Beattie, based on the digital-only graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux. An international co-production between the United States and Australia, the fi ...
'' (2014) * '' Walk of Shame'' (2014) * '' Sleeping with Other People'' (2015) * '' The Age of Adaline'' (2015) * ''
Demolition Demolition (also known as razing and wrecking) is the science and engineering in safely and efficiently tearing down buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction (building), deconstruction, which inv ...
'' (2015) * '' Hell or High Water'' (2016) * '' The Book of Henry'' (2017) * '' Brad's Status'' (2017) * ''
Greta Greta may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Greta'' (2018 film), a thriller film directed by Neil Jordan * ''Greta'' (2020 film), a documentary film about activist Greta Thunberg Music * Greta (band), hard rock band * Greta (song), ...
'' (2018) * '' The Jesus Rolls'' (2019) * '' Delhi Crime'' (2019) * '' Palmer'' (2019) * ''Alice + Freda Forever'' (TBA) Executive producer * '' The Clan of the Cave Bear'' (1986) (Co-executive producer) * '' The Night We Never Met'' (1993) * ''Mother'' (1995) (Direct-to-video) * ''
Curtain Call A curtain call (often known as a walkdown or a final Bowing, bow) occurs at the end of a performance when one or more performers return to the stage to be recognized by the audience for the performance. In musical theatre, the performers typi ...
'' (1998) * '' Lisa Picard Is Famous'' (2000) * '' Town & Country'' (2001) * '' Crazy Little Thing'' (2002) * ''Separation Anxiety'' (2002) * '' The Emperor's Club'' (2002) * '' Breach'' (2007) * '' The Kite Runner'' (2007) * ''
Moneyball Moneyball or money ball may refer to: * '' Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game'', 2003 book by Michael Lewis ** ''Moneyball'' (film), 2011 film adaptation of the book * ''Moneyball'' (album), 2025 album by Dutch Interior * Sabermetrics ...
'' (2011) * '' Cloudburst'' (2011) * '' Crazy Rich Asians'' (2018) * ''
Flag Day A flag day is a flag-related holiday, a day designated for flying a certain flag (such as a national flag) or a day set aside to celebrate a historical event such as a nation's adoption of its flag. Flag days are usually codified in national s ...
'' (2021) * '' Final Cut'' (2022) * '' Thai Cave Rescue'' (2022) * '' God Is a Bullet'' (2023) * '' Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa'' (2023) Presenter * '' Blame It on Rio'' (1984) * ''Mother'' (1995)


References


External links


Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center
*
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts


{{DEFAULTSORT:Kimmel, Sidney 1928 births Living people American billionaires 21st-century American philanthropists Cold fusion American film production company founders Film producers from Pennsylvania Businesspeople from Philadelphia 21st-century American Jews