Before working at Walden Media, Flaherty was a
Massachusetts assistant district attorney and then an assistant attorney general. In 2000, Flaherty co-founded
Walden Media, a film investor, distributor, and publishing company known for producing films based on children's literature, biographies or historical events. Walden Media’s films include
The Chronicles of Narnia, Charlotte’s Web and the
Journey to the Center of the Earth. Walden Media has produced more than 30 films that have grossed more than $3.5 billion in worldwide box office, In 2004, he began a co-publishing venture with Penguin Young Readers Group and in 2008 he founded the imprint Walden Pond Press as a joint venture with
HarperCollins. In the course of marketing films and books, Flaherty has developed promotional initiatives, such as the "Break the World Reading Record with Charlotte's Web" event, launched in conjunction with the theatrical release of
Charlotte’s Web. On Wednesday, December 13, 2006, 547,826 readers in 2,451 locations, 50 states and 28 countries read an excerpt from Charlotte's Web, breaking the previous world reading record set in the United Kingdom in 2004. Flaherty also implemented the “Ticket to a Better World” partnership with Read Across America during the theatrical release of
The Giver, where 50 cents of every ticket purchased for the film was given to the Read Across America literacy program. Flaherty’s executive producer credits include
Fatima, starring
Harvey Keitel and
Sonia Braga;
Mother’s Day (2016), starring
Julia Roberts and
Jennifer Aniston;
The Great Gilly Hopkins (2015), starring
Octavia Spencer and
Kathy Bates; and the animated film
The Little Prince (2015), starring
Jeff Bridges,
Mackenzie Foy, and
Rachel McAdams. In 2017 Flaherty was hired as president of Londonderry Films and exec VP of Londonderry LLC. == References ==