Jessica Tarlov’s father, Mark, had quite the resume. He began his career writing speeches for Chief Justice Warren Burger while still at Columbia Law School. After graduating, he served as a Washington D.C. prosecutor and U.S. Department of Justice lawyer. In his later years, Mark pivoted to the wine industry, founding his own company, Evening Land Vineyards. But he’s best known for his 20-year behind-the-scenes stint in Hollywood.
In 1979, Mark was appointed to Warner Bros.’s Business Affairs department, and within four years, he’d executive produced his first picture, the Stephen King adaptation “Christine.” The multi-talent went on to produce the likes of Sidney Lumet’s “Power,” the black comedy “Serial Mom,” and Sigourney Weaver’s thriller “Copycat” before taking the director’s chair himself.
Firstly, Mark helmed “Simply Irresistible,” the 1999 rom-com in which Sarah Michelle Gellar played a restaurant owner. Then, five years later, he followed it up with “Temptation,” a musical starring Zoe Saldana. Unfortunately, apart from a one-off showing at the New York Musical Festival, the latter has never been screened for the public. Mark died of cancer in 2021 at the age of 69.
