Fandango founder J. Michael Cline dies in fall from New York hotel

NEW YORK — The founder of the website that changed how moviegoers buy tickets has died after a fall from the 20th floor of a New York City hotel.

Fandango founder J. Michael Cline was 64 years old.

Police said Cline jumped from the 20th floor of The Kimberly Hotel in an apparent suicide on Tuesday morning, WNYW reported. They found him lying outside of the hotel at 10:19 a.m., according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was found in a third-floor courtyard, TMZ reported.

“Upon arrival, officers found an unconscious and unresponsive male with injuries indicative of a fall from an elevated position,” the NYPD said in a statement, adding the investigation is ongoing.

Cline was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cline founded Fandango in 2000 but left the company in 2011.

It was created by Cline and Art Levitt who partnered with Loews Cineplex Entertainment, Regal Cinemas, Carmike Cinemas, Cinemark Theaters, General Cinema Theaters, Edwards Theaters and Century Theaters to create a one-stop shop for advanced movie ticket sales, Variety reported.

“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. It’s “an instantly recognizable and distinctive name that sets us apart in our industry,”

Fandango is owned by NBCUniversal and Warner Bros, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Cline was called a “serial entrepreneur,” creating other businesses such as Exult, Xchanging, Accretive Health and Accolade, WNYW reported.

Most recently he was the executive chairman of the business incubator Juxtapose, Variety reported. He also was chairman of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Cline earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell and an MBA from Harvard, where he was named a Baker Scholar and served on the board of the Harvard Business School Rock Center for Entrepreneurship.

Cline leaves behind a wife and six children.

Note: If you or someone you know is thinking of harming themselves, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free support via the Lifeline by dialing 988. For more about risk factors and warning signs, visit the organization’s official website.

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