Fandango Founder James Michael Cline Dies After 20-Story Fall in Suspected Suicide

Fandango Founder James Michael Cline Dies After 20-Story Fall in Suspected Suicide

Summary

  • Fandango founder Jason Michael Cline tragically dies from suspected suicide at 64.
  • Cline revolutionized online movie ticketing, boosting Fandango’s partnerships with major theater chains.
  • Following Fandango, Cline founded and invested in various tech firms, leaving a lasting impact.

As a devoted fan and admirer of technology innovation, I’m deeply saddened by the news of Jason Michael Cline’s tragic passing. The founder of Fandango, a pioneering force in revolutionizing movie ticketing, took his own life at the age of 64 in Manhattan.


Sad news to share from New York City: Founder of Fandango, Jason Michael Cline, is reported to have taken his life by jumping from the 20-story Kimberly Hotel in Manhattan. He was 64 years old. According to MSN and NYPD reports, emergency services were called to the scene.

When the officers arrived at the scene, they discovered a man lying unconscious and unresponsive, showing signs of having fallen from a height. The investigation into this incident is still in progress.

Subsequent accounts revealed that Cline leaped from the hotel’s 20th level and ended up in a courtyard on the third floor. The note found at the scene, believed to be penned by Fandango’s founder, expresses remorse with the words, “I’m so sorry. I can’t express the agony of making such a huge mistake. I care for you all deeply.”

Jason Michael Cline Helped Change How Moviegoers Buy Tickets Online

Fandango Founder James Michael Cline Dies After 20-Story Fall in Suspected Suicide

Back in the year 2000, my buddies Cline and Art Levitt established Fandango. For gamers like me who love movies, it’s an online ticketing company that makes purchasing advanced movie tickets a breeze. No more waiting in long lines at the theater! Fandango was a real game-changer before some chains started offering similar services themselves. To amplify their success, they struck deals with major theater partners such as Regal Cinemas, Cinemark Theaters, General Cinema Theaters, Edwards Theatres, Century Theatres, Lowe Cineplex Entertainment, and Carmike Cinemas.

When Fandango debuted, Cline described the business’s offerings as follows: “A Fandango is quick and amusing. Fandango is an ideal fit for a service aimed at making moviegoing simpler and more delightful than ever. It’s a memorable and unique moniker that distinguishes us in our sector.”

Fandango not only operates Fandango at Home, which is its streaming digital video platform previously called Vudu, but also manages Rotten Tomatoes, the well-known review aggregator site. Fandango obtained both Rotten Tomatoes and Flixster from Warner Bros. Entertainment in 2016. The Fandango website provides advanced movie tickets, as well as celebrity interviews, trailers, clips, and user-generated reviews. Fandango was eventually bought by Comcast in 2007, and Cline stepped down from the company in 2011.

After working with Fandango, entrepreneur and finance expert Cline went on to head several technology firms. He established Accumen, Insureon, and Accolade under the Accretive umbrella, which also maintained investments in Fandango. At the time of his passing, Cline held the role of executive chairman at business incubator Juxtapose. Additionally, he founded R1 RCM, a tech company, and Everspring, an education solutions provider. Cline leaves behind his wife, Pamela B. Cline, and their six children.

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2024-07-18 19:02