Who is Ted Farnsworth from the Max documentary ‘MoviePass, MovieCrash’?

Remember MoviePass? The subscription service that promised unlimited movie tickets for a flat monthly fee? In HBO’s new documentary “MoviePass, MovieCrash,” viewers get a behind-the-scenes look at the meteoric rise and spectacular fall of this industry disruptor. The story centers around Ted Farnsworth, CEO of Helios and Matheson Analytics (HMNY), the company that acquired MoviePass in 2017.

Farnsworth, along with then-CEO of MoviePass Mitch Lowe, made a bold move – slashing the subscription fee from $30 to a mere $10. This gamble paid off in the short term, attracting millions of subscribers and turning MoviePass into a pop-culture phenomenon. Farnsworth and Lowe reveled in the spotlight, painting themselves as the visionaries who were about to revolutionize moviegoing. But as “MoviePass, MovieCrash” explores, the dream wouldn’t last.

What is ‘MoviePass, MovieCrash’ about?

HBO’s “MoviePass, MovieCrash” digs deeper than the initial hype surrounding the $10-a-month movie ticket subscription service. The documentary exposes the chaos behind the scenes. Original founders Stacy Spikes and Hamet Watt are shown getting sidelined after Farnsworth and Lowe took control.

But the real kicker? Farnsworth and Lowe seemingly prioritized partying at Coachella and launching a movie production arm that produced the critically-panned “Gotti” (John Travolta’s 0% Rotten Tomatoes moment) over financial responsibility.

The unsustainable subscription plan hemorrhaged money, leading to the 2020 bankruptcy of both HMNY and MoviePass. Spikes, however, isn’t giving up – he’s relaunched MoviePass. Meanwhile, “MoviePass, MovieCrash” reveals Farnsworth’s troubled past with failed ventures, and legal woes – both he and Lowe face securities fraud charges.

Who is Ted Farnsworth?: Complete Timeline of Failures

Most of us know of Ted Farnsworth as the CEO of MoviePass, but here is a brief timeline that points his frauds:

Mid-1990s: Ran the Psychic Discovery Network
2000: Auction site Farmbid.com lasts less than a year
2001: Entered the beverage space with XStream
2007: Became CEO of Purple Beverage
2012: Oversaw a vitamin company that failed within a year
2016: Merged Zone Technologies with HMNY to become publicly traded
2017: HMNY acquired a majority stake in MoviePass
2021: Founded Zash Global Media and Entertainment after MoviePass’ bankruptcy
2022: Charged with securities fraud related to MoviePass

Where is Ted Farnsworth now?

Farnsworth has been in jail since August 2023. During his time out on bail from the Floria Jail, he traveled to his place in New York and Miami without telling his probation officer and was further charged with a domestic incident, resulting in a restraining order.

His bail was revoked in the same month, and he is now awaiting a court date.

Where can you watch ‘MoviePass, MovieCrash’?

The only way to catch the documentary is by getting a Max subscription. The original documentary premiered this May on the streaming service and cannot be accessed in any other way.