Elie Samaha (born 10 May 1955 in Zahle, Lebanon) is a film producer in America, with production credits beginning with The Immortals in 1995. Although Samaha has produced over 83 works, primarily films but also including some video games, he has not won any of the awards for which producers are eligible. However, he shares a Worst Picture Razzie with John Travolta and Jonathan D. Krane for Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000.
From 1998 to 2004, Samaha produced films under the Franchise Pictures studio title. After producing Battlefield Earth, the German investment company Intertainment AG alleged that Franchise had defrauded it to the tune of over $75 million by systematically submitting "grossly fraudulent and inflated budgets". Intertainment won the case and was awarded $121.7 million in damages, bankrupting Franchise Pictures. Samaha himself was declared by the court to be personally liable for $77 million in damages.
He was married to Diane Shammas from 1980 to 1988. He was married to Tia Carrere from 1992 to 2000. Elie also was formerly a co-owner / founder of the dry cleaner chain Celebrity Cleaners and co-owner of the Roxbury nightclub in Los Angeles.
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