1970s–2000

During his youth, Tisch created a number of small films with backing by Columbia Pictures.^[1] In 1976, he left Columbia and created his first feature film, Outlaw Blues.^[1] He followed this up in 1983 with Risky Business, which gave Tom Cruise his first lead role.^[4]

In 1984, Tisch produced a made-for-TV movie entitled The Burning Bed, which caused controversy but also received eleven Emmy nominations^[1] for Farrah Fawcett's depiction of a battered wife. Tisch launched his own production company in 1986, called the Steve Tisch Company, which has since specialized in small screen films. The company originally had a two-picture agreement with New World Pictures, with Soul Man being the first film of a proposed two-picture deal.^[6] In 1987, the company set up multiple projects at Warner Bros., which included the feature rights to the Mr. Magoo character (the project was eventually made by Disney in 1997 as a live-action film), as well as three original projects that the company, by way of Steve Tisch Productions had a contract at the studio.^[7] However, he also produced several critically acclaimed films including Forrest Gump, American History X, and Snatch.^[8] Tisch received a Best Motion Picture Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Forrest Gump, which was nominated for 13 Academy Awards and won six, and remains one of the highest domestic box office grossing films in history. He is also the only person ever with a Golden Globe, an Academy Award,^[9] a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, and a Super Bowl Ring.^[10] In 1999, he developed and produced an aborted television pilot Mission Extreme, for Film Roman and Max Degree TV, but it was cancelled due to lack of international backers.^[11][12][13]

2001–present

He is currently a partner in Escape Artists, an independently financed film production company based at Sony Pictures Entertainment that is the result of a merger between his Steve Tisch Company and fellow partners Todd Black and Jason Blumenthal's production company, Black & Blu.^[14] Escape Artists released The Weather Man, starring Nicolas Cage, in the fall of 2005, and The Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith, was released by Columbia Pictures in December 2006.^[8] Other projects include Seven Pounds starring Will Smith, Knowing, starring Nicolas Cage and The Taking of Pelham 123 starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta.^[8] The company's TV projects include Perpetual Grace, LTD. for Epix and Servant starring Nell Tiger Free for Apple TV+.

In 2007, Tisch received the P.T. Barnum Award from Tufts University for his exceptional work in the field of media and entertainment.^[15]

Tisch became chairman and Executive Vice President of the New York Giants American football team in 2005.^[1] He accepted the Vince Lombardi Trophy twice, when the Giants won Super Bowl XLII and again when they won Super Bowl XLVI. On April 30, 2008, Tisch, along with the rest of the Giants team and administration, received an invitation from President George W. Bush to the White House to honor the Giants' Super Bowl victory.^[5]

Tisch also made an appearance on the reality show Shark Tank in season 5.^[16]

Following the 2021 season, when the Giants finished 4-13, Tisch "pushed" John Mara to fire head coach Joe Judge, after John Mara was reportedly willing to give Judge a third year.^[17][18]

Film

Television