Born: July 27, 1947 - Mexico City, Mexico 
Ilya Salkind was born in Mexico City, and grew up in the world of motion pictures. At the age of one, Ilya was photographed sitting on the lap of Zsa Zsa Gabor. His grandfather, Michael Salkind, was one of the pioneers of silent films and produced Joyless Street (1925), featuring then relative unknown Greta Garbo in her first major role. Afterwards Michael and his son, Alexander, were responsible for many successful films of artistic achievement, including Orson Welles's The Trial (1962). Ilya then took the reins and became the third generation of successful filmmakers. Ilya has worked in Paris, Rome, London, Madrid, New York and Los Angeles. He speaks fluent French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and English.At a young age, Ilya started his career as a producer and has accumulated a stunning filmography. This includes initiating the blockbuster Superman franchise, one of the most successful in film history. The Academy Award-winning Superman (1978) also has the distinction of being the first major Comic Book film adaptation ever made. Under Ilya's supervision, this film and its first two sequels became worldwide blockbusters. Ilya's venture into television, Superboy (1988-1992), also proved successful, lasting four seasons for a total of 100 episodes. After producing the $50 million Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992) with Marlon Brando, Benicio Del Toro, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ilya and wife Jane Chaplin (daughter of Charlie Chaplin and granddaughter of Eugene O'Neill) settled down in Orlando, Florida and took a sabbatical to raise their two young sons. The celebrity couple amicably parted ways at the end of 1999.Ilya, now based in LA and having formed The Ilya Salkind Company, Inc., is completing the company's first film Alexander the Great From Macedonia (2005) recently shot in Egypt and Greece about the young Alexander the Great. The film has already seemingly launched the careers of four of its previously unknown stars. Sam Heughan ("Young Alexander") was signed by the prestigious agency ICM, Paul Telfer ("Hephaestion") was chosen from out of 200 candidates to play the title role in the $25 million miniseries "Hercules" set to air on NBC in May 2005, Lauren Cohan ("Leto") is starring alongside Heath Ledger in the as yet untitled "Casanova Project," and Louis Tamone ("Thessaly") is now a regular on the successful British television show "Hollyoaks." Ilya Salkind has a reputation for discovering new talent throughout his career, including Christopher Reeve ("Superman"), Helen Slater ("Supergirl"), and Catherine Zeta-Jones and Benicio Del Toro ("Christopher Columbus: The Discovery" starring Marlon Brando). "Alexander the Great from Macedonia" is geared for a 2005 summer release and aimed toward a teen audience.The Ilya Salkind Company is actively in pre-production on the mega-film _Abominable Snowman, The (2005)_ jointly with Emmett/Furla Films ("Narc"). The legend of the Abominable Snowman has been in the public consciousness for centuries and is one of the greatest unresolved mysteries in the world. Ilya said, "Ten years ago I envisioned The Abominable Snowman to follow in the blockbuster franchise tradition of Superman and The Three Musketeers. Now, with today's seemingly unlimited technologies in filmmaking, the time is right. We are assembling the best creative team available in the world to capture on the screen this mythical and extraordinary being in its awe-inspiring magnificence."In addition, Ilya is collaborating on the trailblazing film adaptation of the comic book "A-X" with Marv Wolfman (creator of "Blade") in what will be his return to blockbuster comic book films, a genre that he literally created with "Superman: The Movie." Ilya also returns to the visionary work of Jules Verne (his very first film with his father was based on Verne's "Light at the Edge of the World" starring Kirk Douglas and Yul Brynner) with the major motion picture event "Captain Nemo's Island," part of a diverse slate of film and television projects with international appeal actively being developed by the company.
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