Courtney Colman, a 30-year entertainment finance executive who most recently was CFO of film and TV studio Happy Accidents, has died. She was 58.
The company confirmed the news to Deadline but did not provide a cause of death, which it said was unexpected. She died August 12, according to a Toronto mortuary.
Colman was based in the Toronto office of Happy Accidents, which opened this summer after co-founders/CEOs Holly A. Hines and Eric Jarboe launched the studiio with a Los Angeles office in April. She was responsible for the financial and tax oversight of its film and TV productions, corporate strategic planning, accounting, finance, budgeting and forecasting.
“It is hard to find the words to express our shock and grief at losing such a magnetic person so suddenly,” Jarboe said. “Courtney was a close friend, and she made an indelible impact on the entertainment industry during her formidable career. Her loss is felt by many with heavy hearts.”
Prior to joining Happy Accidents, Colman held the CFO post at the Motion Picture Corporation of America, Mob Scene LLC., Xprize Foundation, Bellum Entertainment, Gold Circle Entertainment, Porchlight Entertainment, First Look Studios and Lieberman Research Worldwide.
Her rèsumè also includes stints as SVP Finance & Business Development at CBS Films, VP Participations at Sony Pictures Entertainment, VP Finance at Universal Music’s Interscope Geffen A&M record label, VP at PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and SVP of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group in the UK.
Born on July 29, 1966, in Toronto, graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor’s in commerce and was recruited by Ernst and Young, becoming a chartered accountant in 1992. She was a citizen of the U.S., UK and Canada.
Colman is survived by her children Patrick and Sophie. If desired, donations in her name can be made to the World Wildlife Fund or the American Association of University Women.
