Martin McCallum Obituary – Death: Broadway & West End Producer Who Worked With Cameron Mackintosh On ‘Cats’, ‘Les Miz’ And ‘Phantom’ Was 73
Martin McCallum, a British theatrical producer known for his extensive contributions to over 500 Broadway and West End productions, passed away peacefully on January 14 in Sydney, Australia, surrounded by his family. He was 73.
His family announced his death, but the cause was not disclosed.
From 1999 to 2002, McCallum served as the President of the Society of London Theatre and had been a member of the Broadway League since 1988. His impact on Broadway included involvement in major successes such as “Les Misérables” (as executive producer) and “Miss Saigon” (as associate producer), as well as critical favorites like the Stephen Sondheim revue “Putting It Together” (as executive producer) and “The Cripple of Inishmaan” (as producer). He also had experiences with less successful productions, including “Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark” (as executive producer) and “Hughie” (as producer).
Born on April 6, 1950, in Blackpool, McCallum began his stage career as an assistant stage manager at the Castle Theatre Farnham. He later became a production manager at the Old Vic, then under the leadership of Laurence Olivier.
Working at the National Theatre, McCallum managed numerous shows, including productions such as Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey into Night” (1971) and Harold Pinter’s “No Man’s Land” (1975). He played a role in the opening of the National Theatre’s South Bank complex in 1975.
In 1978, McCallum, along with colleague Richard Bullimore, founded The Production Office in London’s Covent Garden. The firm supervised shows like Franco Zeffirelli’s “Filumena,” Harold Prince’s “Evita” and “Sweeney Todd,” and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
The success of working on Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” in 1981 led to McCallum being hired by producer Cameron Mackintosh. Over his nearly 22-year tenure with Mackintosh, McCallum was involved in the success of iconic productions, including “Cats,” “Les Misérables,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” and “Miss Saigon.”
McCallum, often consulted for venue design and refurbishment, contributed to projects such as the refurbishment and rebuild of Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre in 2001. Notable architectural projects also included Stuttgart’s Musical Hall, Duisburg’s Musical Theatre, and the Mackintosh-owned West End venue, the Prince Edward.
In 2003, McCallum and his family relocated to Australia. He served as Chairman of the Donmar Warehouse from 1992 to 2003 and was on the Board of the Sydney Theatre Company from 2005 to 2014.
Survived by his partner Gwynne and children Gabriel, Fabian, Amy, Toby, and Sophie, Martin McCallum leaves behind a lasting legacy in the world of theater.