Lurie was born to a Jewish family in Boston, the son of Nancy (née Smith) and Morris John Lurie. His grandfather, Philip Smith, founded the General Cinema movie theater chain, which was one of the largest operators of … See more

In 1983, he left academia to join General Cinema Corporation, a major film company founded by his grandfather, Philip Smith, and headed by his uncle, Richard A. Smith. He worked as an executive in the company as a liaison … See more