Alan Ladd Jr. was a producer and movie executive who greenlit “Star Wars” and produced “Braveheart.”
- Died: March 2, 2022 (Who else died on March 2?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 84.
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Influential producer
Ladd was the son of actor Alan Ladd (1913–1964), the star of movies including “Shane” and “This Gun for Hire.” After growing up in Los Angeles, he served in the U.S. Air Force and spent several years in London working in the British film industry. Upon returning to the U.S., Ladd became an executive at 20th Century Fox, where he fought for the studio to make “Star Wars” and was one of its most enthusiastic supporters during production. He later founded his own production company, the Ladd Company, as well as working as an executive at MGM/UA. Ladd produced films including “Braveheart,” “Police Academy,” “The Brady Bunch Movie,” and “The Man in the Iron Mask.” When “Braveheart” won the Oscar for Best Picture, Ladd was among the honorees who accepted the award onstage. Many hit movies were released during his tenure as an executive, including “Moonstruck,” “Thelma & Louise,” “Blade Runner,” “and “The Right Stuff.”
Notable quote
“One thing about films is that when you make them they’re lasting, they’re around forever. I just hope I can make a lot of films I’m very proud of and that thirty years from now somebody’ll come to me and say, ‘Gee, I just saw “Star Wars” and I think it’s the greatest movie ever made,’ or something like that. That’s the kind of satisfaction you get from this business: you’re involved in the creation of something. If it works well it lasts for many, many years. It’s always with you.” —from a 1982 interview for Starlog
Tributes to Alan Ladd Jr.
Full obituary: Variety
