Fandango Founder J. Michael Cline Dies After Falling From New York Hotel
James Michael Cline, the finance executive who founded the Fandango movie ticketing service in 2000 and remained with the company until 2011, died Tuesday morning of an apparent suicide in Manhattan after jumping from the 20th floor of the Kimberly Hotel. He was 64.
The NYPD said in a statement that officers responded to the hotel on 50th Street at 10:19 a.m. “Upon arrival, officers found an unconscious and unresponsive male with injuries indicative of a fall from an elevated position. The investigation remains ongoing.”
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The NYPD gave Cline’s address as Palm Beach, Fla., and real estate reports show he had purchased a $21 million property there in 2020.
After leaving Fandango, Cline ran several tech firms and venture capital firms, including hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, and founded companies including Accumen, Insureon and Accolade through his Accretive company, which had also invested in Fandango. He was currently serving as executive chairman of business incubator Juxtapose, which helped launch companies including Orchard, Tend, Earned, Great Jones and Nectar.
His only entertainment venture, Cline founded Fandango with Art Levitt and forged partnerships with seven movie theater chains — Loews Cineplex Entertainment, Regal Cinemas, Carmike Cinemas, Cinemark Theaters, General Cinema Theaters, Edwards Theatres and Century Theatres — to create the online service that made buying advance tickets simple for moviegoers.
“A Fandango is fast and fun. Fandango is the perfect match to a service designed to make going to the movies easier and more enjoyable than ever before,” Cline told Variety at its launch. It’s “an instantly recognizable and distinctive name that sets us apart in our industry,” he added.
Fandango was acquired by Comcast in 2007 and Cline’s LinkedIn page indicates his relationship with the company ended in 2011. Fandango did not respond to request for comment.
Cline graduated Cornell U. and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. He had been serving as chairman of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
He is survived by his wife Pamela and several children.
If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
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