Jack Friedman, American entrepreneur, businessman, veteran of the toy and video game industries, and philanthropist, passed away on May 3, 2010.

Friedman is the founder of three toy companies: LJN, THQ, and Jakks Pacific. LJN hosted a line of toys and video games based on movies, television shows, and celebrities. Initial success was found through making merchandise from the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Friedman himself met Michael Jackson and Brooke Shields, eventually making dolls based off of them. In 1985, MCA acquired 63% of LJN Toys, and Friedman left the company two years later.

THQ came next, and Friedman worked on adapting video games from popular films, including Darksiders, De Blob, Destroy All Humans!, and Saints Row. In 1994, Friedman left the company to found his next business venture.

In 1995, Friedman co-founded Jakks Pacific with Stephen G. Berman. Within the first year, Friedman signed a licensing agreement with Titan Sports, giving Jakks Pacific exclusive rights to develop action figures based on the WWF's wresting personalities, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin. In April 2010, Friedman retired as CEO and became Chairman Emeritus.

Friedman was an avid supporter of the company's Jakks Cares program, which donated to organizations including Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, the Special Olympics, and Feed the Children. In 2009, Jakks Pacific was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the "Top 20 Corporate Philanthropists in Los Angeles" and as a "Power Player Philanthropist" by the Toy Industry Foundation.