Fred Berner Biography

Though not a household name, veteran producer Fred Berner has worked with some of the most recognizable faces on the planet in his nearly 40-year career. For five years, Berner was an executive producer on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and the original procedural drama, "Law & Order," perhaps television's most storied brand, until the latter's surprise cancellation in 2010. Before that, Berner and his New York-based production/development company, Fred Berner Films, produced several acclaimed independent films, including 1994's meta-drama "Vanya on 42nd Street" (with a screenplay by legendary scribe David Mamet) and 2000's award-winning biography of painter Jackson Pollock, "Pollock." The latter earned Oscar nominations for stars Ed Harris and Marcia Gay Harden, who won for Best Supporting Actress. He has also produced TV specials or movies starring Oprah Winfrey and Bette Midler (when they were entertainment titans), as well as Matt Damon and Kristen Stewart (before the two were box office royalty). Berner began his career as an assistant director on several feature movies before going on to direct episodes of "Law & Order."