Barbara Boyle

Barbara Boyle received her Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California, Berkeley, and her Doctor of Jurisprudence from UCLA School of Law. Licensed to practice law in New York and California, she began her career in the entertainment industry as an attorney, and moved rapidly into financing and production.

Boyle co-founded Sovereign Pictures in 1990, with offices in Los Angeles and London. Sovereign Pictures financed, produced and distributed such films as "My Left Foot," "Cinema Paradiso," "Reversal of Fortune," "Impromptu" and "The Commitments." Her films were nominated for 22 Academy Awards®, winning several. Boyle served as President of Valhalla Entertainment Group. That Company produced 22 episodes of "Adventure, Inc" for television, the award winning documentary "True Whispers," as well as the features "Clockstoppers" and "Hulk" directed by Ang Lee.

Boyle also served as executive vice president of production for RKO Pictures, which produced "Plenty," "Half Moon Street" and "Hamburger Hill." From 1982 to 1986, she was senior vice president of worldwide production at Orion Pictures Corp., where she supervised such hits as "Desperately Seeking Susan," "The Terminator" and "Robocop." Earlier, Boyle led Roger Corman's New World Pictures Inc. as its chief operating officer and executive vice president. There, she was responsible for the acquisition of US distribution rights to such landmark films as "The Story of Adele H.," "The Tin Drum," "Cries and Whispers" and "Breaker Morant."

Boyle produced the Sundance acclaimed feature "The Hi Line" (2000) which launched the career of Academy Award®-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister, "Instinct" (1999), starring Academy Award®-winners Sir Anthony Hopkins and Cuba Gooding, Jr., "Bottle Rocket" (1996), which launched the career of Academy®-nominated director Wes Anderson , "Phenomenon," starring John Travolta, "Mrs. Munck," directed by Academy Award®-nominated actress Diane Ladd, and "Eight Men Out" (1988), directed by esteemed independent filmmaker John Sayles.

Boyle is a member of the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science and is a member of the Foreign Language Committee of the Academy. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Project Involve; Foundation Committee, the UCLA School of Law Entertainment Advisory Council, and the Women In Film Foundation Committee. Boyle has lectured extensively around the world and served as a jury member for numerous film festivals. She is a past president of both Film Independent and Women in Film. Boyle has received the Alumnus of the Year Award from the UCLA School of Law, the Vision Award from Film Independent, and the Crystal Award from Women in Film.

From 2003 to 2012, Boyle served as Chair of the Department of Film, Television and Digital Media in the School of Theater, Film and Television at UCLA. In July of 2012, Boyle was promoted to Associate Dean of Entrepreneurship and Special Initiatives for the School of Theater, Film and Television.

• PROFESSOR, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SPECIAL INITIATIVES

• Office: 202F East Melnitz
• Phone: 310-206-6258