Jeffrey Lurie, grandson of General Cinema founder Philip Smith, has made significant contributions to the film industry. After earning advanced degrees in psychology and briefly teaching, Lurie joined the family business before establishing his own production company, Chestnut Hill Productions, in 1985. Inspired by his grandfather's innovation in suburban movie theaters, Lurie has produced several films and founded multiple documentary companies, including Play/Action Pictures in 2019, thus continuing the legacy of making entertainment more accessible.
In 2013, Lurie told Clark Magazine that his grandfather's movie-theater business showed the public that they didn't have to travel to cities to be entertained.
Lurie told Clark Magazine, "I'd gotten to know a lot of top Hollywood executives through my job at General Cinema and it was a natural move for me."
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