# Robert N. Fried
**Robert N. Fried** (born c. 1959), often credited as **Rob Fried**, is an American film producer and business executive who won a 1992 Academy Award for the short film *Session Man* and is now chief executive officer of Niagen Bioscience, Inc., the bioscience company known for the Tru Niagen supplement.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959) • [2](https://www.twst.com/bio/fried-robert/) His career spans three industries: studio and independent film, internet media, and bioscience and longevity products.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Academy Award | Won jointly with Seth Winston, best short film, live action, 1992, for *Session Man*[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959) |
| Current role | Chief Executive Officer of Niagen Bioscience Inc.; joined the board in 2015, President and COO in 2017, CEO in April 2018[2](https://www.twst.com/bio/fried-robert/) |
| Healthspan Research | Founded in 2016; developed the Tru Niagen consumer brand before its acquisition by ChromaDex in March 2017[2](https://www.twst.com/bio/fried-robert/) |
| Studio executive | President and CEO of Savoy Pictures, 1994 to 1996; Executive Vice President of Columbia Pictures[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959) • [3](https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ROBERT-FRIED-A0G38X/) |
| Producer credits | *Rudy*, *So I Married an Axe Murderer*, *Only You*, *The Boondock Saints*, *The Man*, and *Weapons*; co-executive producer of *Godzilla*[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959) |
| Education | B.S. from Cornell University; M.B.A. from Columbia University Graduate School of Business[2](https://www.twst.com/bio/fried-robert/) |
| Family | Married actress Nancy Travis in 1994; two sons, Benjamin E. Fried (born 1998) and Jeremy Fried (born 2001)[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0294975/bio/) |
## Film and television career
Fried began his industry career at [Columbia Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/columbia-pictures), working for executive Jonathan Dolgen.[5](https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/news/about-ilr/hollywood-hits) MarketScreener lists him there as Executive Vice President of Production from 1983 to 1990 and separately as Director of Business Development at 20th Century Studios over the same years.[3](https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ROBERT-FRIED-A0G38X/) He then became President and CEO of Savoy Pictures from 1994 to 1996.[3](https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ROBERT-FRIED-A0G38X/) As a producer and executive producer, his credit list includes *Rudy* (1993), *[So I Married an Axe Murderer](https://www.edgepedia.org/so-i-married-an-axe-murderer)* (1993), *Only You* (1994), *My Teacher's Wife* (1995), *The Boondock Saints* (2000), *The Man* (2005), and *Weapons* (2007), with co-executive producer credit on *Godzilla* (1998) and executive producer credits on *Collateral* (2004) and *Man of the Year* (2006).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959) In television, he executive produced the made-for-television movies *Black Cat Run* and *Winchell* for HBO and *Swing Vote* for ABC, plus a run of Showtime specials in 1990 through 1993.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959)
His producing career extended into features throughout the 2000s, including *[The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-boondock-saints-ii-all-saints-day)* (2009) as executive producer.[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_n_fried) His work in film production was recognized with both Academy and [Emmy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/emmy-awards), and he also received a Christopher Award in 1992 for *Rudy*.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959) • [2](https://www.twst.com/bio/fried-robert/) Cornell's ILR School, his alma mater, has described him as possibly the only ILR graduate to have won an Oscar.[5](https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/news/about-ilr/hollywood-hits)
## Media and internet ventures
Fried founded Fried Films in 1990, serving as its president.[3](https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ROBERT-FRIED-A0G38X/) In the late 1990s he turned to internet business: he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of WhatsHotNow.com, Inc. from 1996 to 2001, an internet service producer for the licensing business, and founded WHN Exchange in 2000, a business-to-business exchange that let licensors, licensees, and retail stores transact online.[3](https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ROBERT-FRIED-A0G38X/) • [1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959) He was also President and CEO of Ideation Acquisition Corp. from 2007 to 2009.[3](https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ROBERT-FRIED-A0G38X/)
**SpiritClips and Feeln.** In 2007 Fried founded SpiritClips, a streaming video and e-card business that made short films with what he described as stories of hope and inspiration.[5](https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/news/about-ilr/hollywood-hits) By the time Hallmark bought the company in 2012, having supplied content since 2010, it had about 50 employees and half a million subscribers, offering Hallmark Hall of Fame films and other full-length Hollywood movies alongside shorts.[5](https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/news/about-ilr/hollywood-hits) The service was later known as Feeln and was acquired by [Hallmark Cards](https://www.edgepedia.org/hallmark-cards); industry profiles describe him as its founder and chief executive.[2](https://www.twst.com/bio/fried-robert/) • [3](https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ROBERT-FRIED-A0G38X/) A 2014 profile reported that he lived in Los Angeles at that time.[5](https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/news/about-ilr/hollywood-hits)
## Bioscience and Niagen Bioscience
Fried moved into the bioscience and longevity sector more than a decade ago, making early strategic investments in biotechnology companies focused on cellular health, stem cell research, and regenerative medicine.[2](https://www.twst.com/bio/fried-robert/) In 2016 he founded Healthspan Research LLC, which developed the Tru Niagen consumer brand; ChromaDex acquired Healthspan Research in March 2017.[2](https://www.twst.com/bio/fried-robert/) He joined the Niagen board of directors in 2015, was appointed [President](https://www.edgepedia.org/president-corporate-title) and Chief Operating Officer in 2017, and became Chief Executive Officer in April 2018.[2](https://www.twst.com/bio/fried-robert/) MarketScreener dates his CEO appointment to May 31, 2018.[3](https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ROBERT-FRIED-A0G38X/)
He has described himself as CEO of ChromaDex and founder of Tru Niagen, a NAD+ healthy-aging supplement; some industry profiles still refer to him as ChromaDex's chief executive.[7](https://www.supplysidesj.com/author/robert-fried-) The company signs its Securities and Exchange Commission filings as Niagen Bioscience, Inc., where Fried is Chief Executive Officer and Director and principal executive officer; he personally signed the annual report dated March 4, 2026.[8](https://s205.q4cdn.com/770776702/files/doc_financials/2025/ar/c5d67917-641f-4b52-b63d-86dfeba3186b.pdf)
**Business results and recognition.** The Los Angeles Times' profile of his EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 [Greater Los Angeles](https://www.edgepedia.org/greater-los-angeles) award credits him with scaling Niagen's external research program past 300 academic agreements and more than $100 million in third-party research, managing a global licensing agreement for an NR-based therapy for Ataxia Telangiectasia and Parkinson's Disease, supplying more than 1,200 clinics with pharmaceutical-grade formulations, and moving the company to $129.4 million in net sales with a debt-free balance sheet holding $64.8 million in cash.[9](https://www.latimes.com/b2b/events/la-executive-awards/robert-nathan-fried) Insider filings show he held 1,060,087 Niagen shares directly as of June 30, 2026, plus indirect holdings through trusts and family accounts.[10](https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/NAGE/form-4-niagen-bioscience-inc-insider-trading-activity-6e478b308f40.html)
## Personal life
Fried grew up in Ardsley, New York, in a family shaped by his father, an immigrant and Holocaust survivor.[5](https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/news/about-ilr/hollywood-hits) Encyclopedia.com records him as born around 1959 and as the brother of producer Daniel Fried.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959) He has been married to actress [Nancy Travis](https://www.edgepedia.org/nancy-travis) since April 30, 1994.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0294975/bio/) Sources report either two sons[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0294975/bio/) or three children; his LinkedIn activity and family references do not settle the count.
## Name disambiguation
Several other public figures share the name. A different Robert B. Fried is EVP of Forensics and Chief Investigative Officer at Page One, Inc., a digital forensics expert with degrees from the University of New Haven.[11](https://www.technosecurity.us/east/speakers/robert-fried) A Robert Fried is a physician at Crystal Run Health, and a separate Robert Fried was a 1937 to 1975 American printmaker.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959)
## References
1. [Fried, Robert N. 1959(?)–, Encyclopedia.com (Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television)](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/fried-robert-n-1959)
2. [Fried, Robert, The Wall Street Transcript](https://www.twst.com/bio/fried-robert/)
3. [Robert Fried: Positions, Relations and Network, MarketScreener](https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/ROBERT-FRIED-A0G38X/)
4. [Robert N. Fried, Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0294975/bio/)
5. [Hollywood Hits, Cornell ILR School (February 10, 2014)](https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/news/about-ilr/hollywood-hits)
6. [Robert N. Fried, Rotten Tomatoes filmography](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/robert_n_fried)
7. [Robert Fried, SupplySide West author page](https://www.supplysidesj.com/author/robert-fried-)
8. [Niagen Bioscience, Inc., Annual Report on Form 10-K signatures (March 4, 2026)](https://s205.q4cdn.com/770776702/files/doc_financials/2025/ar/c5d67917-641f-4b52-b63d-86dfeba3186b.pdf)
9. [Robert Nathan Fried, LA Executive Awards, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/b2b/events/la-executive-awards/robert-nathan-fried)
10. [Niagen Bioscience (NAGE) CEO Form 4, StockTitan](https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/NAGE/form-4-niagen-bioscience-inc-insider-trading-activity-6e478b308f40.html)
11. [Robert Fried, Techno Security East 2026 speaker page](https://www.technosecurity.us/east/speakers/robert-fried)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen production organizations › Production companies and industry people › Production founders and executives › American production company founders*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license