Ricardo Mestres began his film career after graduating from Harvard University with Paramount Pictures as a development executive for 唐·辛普森. He then worked for 杰弗里·卡岑伯格 for four years and supervised the making of Beverly Hills Cop (1984). In 1984 he joined Walt Disney Productions (renamed The Walt Disney Company in 1986) and supervised many hit films at Walt Disney Pictures' successful Touchstone division. Hollywood Pictures was formed in 1989 as a measure to keep the studio's top two competitive production executives, Mestres and David Hoberman, stay at Disney. Mestres was made President of the new Hollywood Pictures Company. Hollywood Pictures produced such hits as 小魔星 (1990), 推动摇篮的手 (1992), and 机智问答 (1994) under him.