James Michael Cline, the millionaire entrepreneur and finance executive who founded the movie ticketing service Fandango, has been identified as the man who died after jumping from a window on the 20th floor of the Kimberly Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
The father of six left a suicide note that said, “So sorry. I can’t explain the pain of f— up this much. I love you all,” with some apparent missing words, the sources confirmed.
In a statement, the NYPD said officers responded to the luxury hotel on Tuesday morning at 10:19 a.m., where they found the man who had fatally landed on the third-floor courtyard of the building. “Upon arrival, officers found an unconscious and unresponsive male with injuries indicative of a fall from an elevated position. The investigation remains ongoing,” the department said.
Cline founded Fandango in 2000 with Art Levitt and established partnerships with seven move theater chains, Loews Cineplex Entertainment, Regal Cinemas, Carmike Cinemas, Cinemark Theaters, General Cinema Theaters, Edwards Theatres and Century Theatres, to create the online service that made buying movie tickets in advance accessible to patrons.
“A Fandango is fast and fun. Fandango is the perfect match to a service designed to make going to the movies easier and more enjoyable than ever before,” Cline told Variety at its launch. It’s “an instantly recognizable and distinctive name that sets us apart in our industry,” he added.
Fandango was acquired by Comcast in 2007 and Cline’s LinkedIn page indicates he left the company in 2011, ending his sole entertainment venture. Cline then ran several tech firms and venture capital firms, including hedge fund Bridgewater Associates. He also founded multiple other companies, such as Accumen, Insureon, and Accolade, through his Accretive company, which had also invested in Fandango. The movie ticketing service is now owned by NBCUniversal and Warner Bros, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Cline, who graduated from Cornell University and received an MBA from Harvard Business School, was currently serving as executive chairman business incubator Juxtapose, which helped launch companies including Orchard, tend, Earned, Great Jones, and Nectar. He had also been serving as chairman of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The NYPD gave Cline’s address as Palm Beach, Florida, and real estate reports show he had purchased a $21 million property in 2020.
Cline, age 64, is survived by his wife Pamela and several children.
If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
