Paul Burnside Stager

Paul B. Stager, Jr. died at home in Westwood on January 18, 2026, after a brief illness. He was 96.

Born in 1929 in Delaware, Ohio, the only child of Paul B. Stager and Olive Sines. He grew up in Brooklyn and in Elgin, IL. He returned to Delaware to attend Ohio Wesleyan, where he met Carol, the love of his life and his wife of 70 years. Carol passed in 2023. After college, Paul served in Army Intelligence before earning his law degree at Ohio State.

Paul began practicing law in Ohio, then joined the NLRB which sent him west to Los Angeles. He went on to enjoy a long and respected career in television business & legal affairs, including at the Writers Guild, Screen Gems, Columbia Television, Lorimar, and Warner Bros., from which he retired in 1997 as Senior Vice President and Studio General Counsel. He was known throughout his career for his sound judgment, fairness, and calm decency.

Paul was a deeply loved and admired father, father-in-law, and grandfather, as well as a friend to many. He was an all-around sweet, honorable, kind, and quietly spiritual man, someone others trusted and felt better being around. Paul was predeceased by his daughter, Anne Kahane, who died in 2014. He is survived by his daughter, Susan Vandebunt, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.