Jay Stein, Mastermind of Universal Studios Tram Ride, Dies at 88

“Can you give me one of your remaining sharks?”

It was the beginning of Jay Stein’s strong pursuit of turning the exit business into a sweet spot for Universal Studios, then owned by Leo Wasserman’s powerhouse entertainment company MCA.

In 1975, Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” was a cult sensation and Stein wanted to capitalize on the film’s success. He asked his colleagues in the film’s production for props so that his crew could recreate the legendary Amethyst Island beach on the hilly side of the studio many miles from downtown LA.

“He convinced them: ‘Can you just give me one of the remaining sharks and I’ll put it on a studio tour, and we’ll get some development out of it,'” writer Sam Gennaway told The Times, noting Stein’s genius and his pioneering use of intellectual property.

Jay Stein with his wife Connie in Oregon.

(Connie Stein)

Stein died Nov. 5 at his home in Bend, Ore., according to his wife, Connie Stein. He was 88 years old and suffered from complications related to Parkinson’s disease and prostate cancer.

“He left a big hole — but he also left a wonderful legacy,” she said in an interview Sunday. “Not many people have the opportunity to leave a legacy that can reach generations. But he still makes people laugh every day.”

The shark attack tram ride, which terrified tourists when it first opened in 1976, has long been an important attraction. It was one of several theme parks Stein developed during his more than 30 years as a top MCA executive, which included Universal’s push into Florida to compete with the Walt Disney Company.

The fascination with “Jaws” helped repair Universal’s decades-long relationship with Spielberg, during which such films as “ET the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Jurassic Park,” “Schindler’s List” and “The Fabelmans” were produced. It also spawned other movie-themed attractions, including a live-action “Waterworld” show and a “King Kong” ride.

Stein insisted the dam would spit out “banana breath,” his wife said.

At Universal, such bangs and booms were known as “JayBangs,” which Gennaway used as the title for his 2016 book about Stein’s contributions to the industry, “JayBangs: How Jay Stein, MCA, & Universal invented the Modern Theme Park and Beat Disney at its Own Game.”

“Jay wanted to put you in the movie,” Genaway said. “He wanted to grab you by the collar and shake you a bit.”

The “Runaway Train” attraction on the Universal Studios Backlot Tour, one of its many exciting “JayBangs.”

(NBCUniversal Archives & Collections)

Stein was born in New York City on June 17, 1937, to Samuel and Sylvia “Sunny” (Goldstein) Stein.

His father was a watch salesman who moved the family to Los Angeles when Stan was young. As a teenager, he sometimes skipped school to go to Hollywood Park Racetrack to bet on horses. He had fashioned some blank report cards and used them to bring home the high marks he had entered.

But the fraud was revealed when the family briefly moved back to New York and Stan was nearing the end of high school. His parents were invited to a conference, where they learned that Stan did not have the credits to graduate. Summer school did the trick.

The family returned to L.A. Stan attended UC Berkeley, majoring in political science, but he dropped out a semester shy of graduating.

He served in the Army National Guard and near the end of his service, in 1959, began working in the MCA mailroom. Initially he wanted to get into film production, but in the mid-1960s, he moved to a new touring unit.

The company started a tram tour in 1964 to make a little money from its coffee estate. But some officials described these efforts as full of problems. His chances seemed slim.

“It started as two trams and a Quonset hut on Lankersheim Boulevard,” Stein told The Times in a 2023 interview. “Frankly, the tram was considered something that would interfere with television production.”

“I was working in the production office and was tasked with coordinating how close we could get to the backlot without interference. Everyone I worked with said it was an annoyance and a distraction and would never be welcome.”

Stein was able to “convince others of the benefits of touring the studio,” Genaway said. “That’s what saved it.”

Early sign advertising Universal Studios as a tourist attraction.

(NBCUniversal Archives & Collections)

Gennaway Stein is a key pioneer of US theme parks.

“He was a formidable competitor. He knew that Disney had its own thing — but that Universal could create something different and admirable, especially in the early days,” Genaway said.

Disneyland, of course, was a top draw.

“But if you’re a Los Angeles resident and have relatives in town, you know they [also] “Wanted to see Hollywood,” Gannaway said. “But Hollywood was kind of scary, so you took it to Universal Studios.”

According to Genaway, Stein’s contributions have only recently appreciated. This is largely because Stein subscribed to Wasserman’s edict that “the stars were the stars” and the executive should blend into the background. Stein also retired early, leaving Universal in the mid-1990s, after Japanese electronics giant Mitsubishi bought MCA.

Visitors line up for the Universal Studios Studio Tour.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Stein was worried that Universal’s new owner (and the chain’s future buyers) would fail to recognize the value of the theme parks, Genaway said, an observation that proved to be correct.

That changed in 2011 when Comcast acquired NBCUniversal and began investing heavily.

The company opened its $7 billion theme park, Universal Epic Universe, near Orlando, Florida earlier this year.

The theme park unit – which includes locations in Los Angeles, Florida, Japan and China – has become one of the most reliable profit engines for NBCUniversal. Last year, Universal’s theme parks generated $8.6 billion in revenue.

“Jay was the vision behind Universal’s expansion from Studio Tour in Hollywood to creating our world-class theme park destination at Universal Orlando and beyond,” Mark Woodbury, president and CEO of Universal Destinations and Experiences, said in a statement.

“He had a tremendous creative drive and defined our amazing storytelling style, building us a brand that brings great movies to life for generations to come,” Woodbury said. Woodbury said.

Stein is survived by his wife, son Gary Stein, daughter Darolyn Billimore and their spouses, children and grandchildren, his brother Ira Stein, nephews, cousins ​​and Connie Stein’s children and grandchildren.