Nancy Hult Ganis

After growing up in Detroit, Michigan, Hult's professional life started as a math teacher in her hometown's inner-city public schools. In 1968 she left teaching to fly with Pan Am as a flight attendant. During her years traveling the world as a "stewardess", especially in conversation with international journalists, she became aware of the difference between policies the U.S. stated in public and the deeds it carried out in the field. In the early 1970s she observed the flight attendant profession lose respectability, exemplified by her seeing a PSA flight crew uniformed in hot pants, which made her think she would not want to continue much longer. In 1976 she entered the University of California at Berkeley as an undergraduate and in 1978 she received a bachelor's degree in history. She applied to Berkeley's master's degree program in journalism, and was told by her adviser to avoid any mention of being a stewardess; a condition she saw as ironic because the experience had given her a wider world view than the other applicants. She was accepted to the program and she earned her master's degree in 1981.^[3] Hult next worked as a journalist and in the public affairs department at San Francisco's PBS station, KQED. In addition to these duties at KQED, Hult also worked as a segment producer and writer covering foreign affairs and public policy issues.^[4] Her next big assignment at KQED was working on The Making of Raiders of the Lost Ark; the documentary won an Emmy for the program's producer, and Hult's future husband, Sid Ganis.^[5]

Following the success of the Raiders documentary, Hult Ganis worked as a developer for the PBS series Comedy Tonight. What began as a showcase featuring Bay Area comedians such as Dana Carvey later listed national headliners such as Bobcat Goldthwait, Kevin Pollak, and Ellen DeGeneres. Whoopi Goldberg hosted the series in 1987.^[6]

After working as Steven Spielberg's assistant, Hult Ganis returned to San Francisco and a position as special projects director for the CBS affiliate, KPIX; during her tenure, the station went from last to first in Arbitron the major market ratings.

After her success at KPIX, Hult Ganis started her own production and marketing firm. This venture allowed her to work with Saul Zaentz on the film Amadeus, Francis Ford Coppola on Peggy Sue Got Married and Lucasfilm on Howard the Duck.^[5]

Hult Ganis moved permanently to Los Angeles in 1986 and set up the marketing department for Carolco Pictures, at that time an independent film production company. While with Carolco, Hult Ganis handled such films as Extreme Prejudice, Angel Heart, and the Tom Hanks/Sally Field vehicle, Punchline. After her move to Los Angeles, Hult Ganis became more politically active and joined the Hollywood Woman's Political Committee. This connection allowed her to co-produce the "Bells for Hope Celebration" shown at the inauguration of U.S. President Bill Clinton. Having established an association with the Clinton Administration, Hult Ganis was able to contribute once again to her first love, education, by working with the president and his advisors on education issues. In the same vein, Hult Ganis worked with Michael J. Fox on promoting the importance of having educational themes in television programs and movies to her producer and director contacts in Hollywood.^[5]

In 1996, Hult Ganis and her husband, Sid Ganis, created Out of the Blue...Entertainment, a film production company with credits that list both Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo; the Adam Sandler films Mr. Deeds and Big Daddy; and Akeelah and the Bee for Lionsgate Films, among others.