Fred Roos, the Oscar-winning producer of The Godfather Part II and longtime producer for Francis Ford Coppola, passed away on Saturday. According to Deadline, he died in Beverly Hills at the age of 89, just four days before his 90th birthday.
The news of Roos’ passing, an Oscar winner for The Godfather Part II and later a nominee for Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, surfaces as Francis Ford Coppola attends the Cannes Film Festival. This comes 45 years after Coppola won the Palme d’Or for Apocalypse Now. Coppola is currently promoting his $120 million passion project, Megalopolis, which had its world premiere last week. Roos is credited as an executive producer on Megalopolis.
The news also follows the April passing of Coppola’s wife of 61 years, Eleanor, who died on April 12. Roos was an executive producer on Hearts of Darkness, Eleanor’s acclaimed documentary about making Apocalypse Now, which won an Emmy in 1992.
Roos collaborated with Francis Coppola as co-producer on The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, and Apocalypse Now. Additionally, he produced One From the Heart, The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, The Cotton Club, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, The Godfather Part III, Youth Without Youth, and Tetro.
He and Francis Coppola achieved the rare feat of receiving two Oscar nominations for Best Picture in the same year in 1974, for The Conversation and The Godfather Part II. They were again nominated in 1980 for Apocalypse Now…
Fred Roos Had a Prolific Career Even Outside of the Legendary ‘Godfather’ Films
Roos also served as executive producer for Sofia Coppola’s films, including The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, Somewhere, The Bling Ring, The Beguiled, On the Rocks, and her most recent work, last year’s Priscilla.
Roos had a legendary impact on Hollywood, contributing to major films like Star Wars. George Lucas sought his advice, leading to the casting of Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and James Earl Jones. Roos also helped cast American Graffiti and The Outsiders. Of course, these films launched the careers of stars like Tom Cruise, Diane Lane, and Patrick Swayze.
Beyond his collaborations with the Coppola’s, he produced notable films like Jack Nicholson’s directorial debut Drive, He Said, Carroll Ballard’s The Black Stallion, and Agnieszka Holland’s The Secret Garden. He was also instrumental in adapting S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders for Broadway, which garnered 12 Tony nominations last month.
Roos is survived by his son, who also served as his producing partner, and his wife, Nancy Drew.