Fox Names Roth as Head of Its New Film Division

In a major restructuring, Fox Inc. has separated its motion picture and television production operations and appointed movie producer/director Joe Roth as chairman of its film division, which will now be called Fox Film Corp.

Under Roth, the film division plans to triple its output of feature movies to as many as 30 a year, according to the company.

The 41-year-old executive was previously partnered with James G. Robinson in Morgan Creek Productions, whose two recent movies “Young Guns” and “Dead Ringers” were released by Fox. Roth has also directed such films as a “Streets of Gold” and “Revenge of the Nerds II.”

At the same time, Fox has announced the creation of a new company called 20th Television Corp., which will replace 20th Century Fox Television Production and be responsible for all of the company’s TV production activities. Harris Katleman will remain as president of the operation, which currently produces such TV shows as “L.A. Law,” “Anything but Love,” “Mr. Belvedere” and “The Tracey Ullman Show.”

“We’re separating out what has been under on roof,” said one Fox executive. “The real significance here is giving Joe Roth decision-making capability and the authority to pursue making motion pictures full time, without any encumbrance from TV production.”

“This is the first time, I believe, that our movie business has been addressed with a strategy,” said Fox Inc. Chairman Barry Diller. “The first part is Joe Roth being named chairman; the second is increasing our movie production threefold over the present. That’s the strategy.”