Norman Freeman; Brought Tarzan to Film
Norman Freeman, the former general manager of Sol Lesser Productions who negotiated use of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Tarzan” stories for films in the 1940s, has died at the age of 81.
Howard Barton, a Paramount Studios attorney and Freeman’s cousin, said the investor and motion picture executive died Aug. 5 in a Santa Monica nursing home after suffering from Parkinson’s disease for many years.
Born in Nazareth, Pa., and graduated from Pennsylvania State University at the age of 19, Freeman began his long career working on Wall Street while earning a law degree at night from Fordham University.
He soon joined RKO in New York as assistant to its president. After serving with the Navy in World War II, Freeman returned to the studio and moved to Hollywood, later joining the Lesser company.
He subsequently formed Principal Management with Sol Lesser, developing homes, shopping centers and what is now the Ironwood Country Club in Palm Desert.
Freeman leaves his wife of 48 years, Dorothy, of Westwood; a sister, Sara, and a brother, Charles, both of New York. At Freeman’s request, there were no services.
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