‘Hangover’ producer J.C. Spink dead at 45
LOS ANGELES — Manager and producer J.C. Spink, who founded Benderspink with Chis Bender and produced comedies like “The Hangover,” died Tuesday at his home in West Hollywood, the Los Angeles County Coroner confirmed to Variety. He was 45.
Spink was found by his brother unresponsive in his home and pronounced dead at 8:18 p.m. Tuesday, according to the coroner. A cause of death has not yet been revealed. An autopsy will be conducted, and he appeared to have died of natural causes. Foul play is not currently suspected.
The relentlessly upbeat Spink was well-liked by the Hollywood community. He was a Phiadelphia native who met Bender at Bucknell University. He and Bender formed their company in 1998 after the two had worked as assistants at Zide-Perry Productions, where Bender received a co-producing credit on “American Pie.”
Spink focused mostly on management while Bender focused on producing. The duo had a long-time first-look deal through New Line that launched in 2001. They delivered mid-budget titles such as “Horrible Bosses” and “The Butterfly Effect” franchises, “Vacation,” “Just Friends,” “A History of Violence,” “We’re the Millers,” “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,” the “Arthur” reboot and “Monster-in-Law.”
“A History of Violence” received the most critical praise for a Benderspink title with two Oscar nominations. “We’re the Millers,” which took over a decade to develop, was their top grossing movie at $270 million worldwide.
Benderspink generated mostly comedies, starting with 2001’s “Cats & Dogs” that year. Bender played a key role in the development of “The Hangover” franchise, by suggesting that the plot could involve a bachelor party gone wrong, inspired by his brother’s spec script “One Night.
Spink and Bender announced in May that they were dissolving the management and production company.
