Veteran Hollywood film buyer Bob Lenihan is exiting AMC Theatres after a long stint as U.S. president of programming, sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter.
He has been with AMC since 2009, helping to oversee the pipeline of movies feeding more than 10,000 screens.
Based out of Los Angeles, Lenihan began his career more than 40 years ago as a film booker at United Artists Theatres in San Francisco. (One of his first assignments was to check out a preview screening of George Lucas’ original Star Wars in 1977. While some of his older colleagues were dubious, Lenihan was sold.)
Lenihan reported to Elizabeth Frank, AMC’s executive vp worldwide programming and chief content officer.
His exit comes amid layoffs at the country’s largest theater chain.
Last week, AMC confirmed that 35 staffers were being let go, while an additional 15 jobs won’t be filled. The reductions are part of a corporate restructuring designed to bolster the company’s standing as it faces competitive pressures from on-demand streaming services, among other challenges facing the exhibition business.
AMC didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
