1 9 3 1 ▁– ▁January ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁film ▁studio ▁executive ▁behind ▁films ▁that ▁included ▁American ▁Gra ff iti ▁and ▁Animal ▁House . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁Tan en ▁was ▁born ▁to ▁a ▁Jewish ▁family ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Air ▁Force ▁after ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁California , ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁Following ▁his ▁military ▁service , ▁he ▁got ▁a ▁job ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁in ▁the ▁M CA ▁mail room . ▁He ▁became ▁an ▁agent ▁there ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁he ▁was ▁pack aging ▁TV ▁shows ▁for ▁M CA / Univers al ▁after ▁M CA ▁acquired ▁Universal ▁Pictures . ▁He ▁helped ▁form ▁the ▁Un i ▁Records ▁label ▁at ▁M CA ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁Art ists ▁recording ▁on ▁the ▁Un i ▁label ▁included ▁Neil ▁Diam ond , ▁El ton ▁John , ▁Oliv ia ▁Newton - John ▁and ▁the ▁St raw berry ▁Al arm ▁C lock . ▁Un i ▁Records ▁later ▁merged ▁with ▁De cca ▁Records ▁to ▁become ▁M CA ▁Records . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁Tan en ▁became ▁vice ▁president ▁of ▁production ▁at ▁Universal ▁Pictures , ▁after ▁serving ▁as ▁production ▁super visor ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁Mil o š ▁Form an ▁film ▁T aking ▁Off . ▁He ▁was ▁named ▁president ▁of ▁Universal ' s ▁film ▁division ▁in ▁ 1