Vale – Richard D Zanuck

Legendary Hollywood producer and studio mogul Richard D Zanuck has passed away. Zanuck was the son of equally famous Hollywood producer Darryl F Zanuck, who famously fired him from his position at 20th Century Fox after the box office bomb that was Doctor Doolittle (1967). Richard Zanuck formed The Zanuck/Brown company in 1972, producing Jaws and Sugarland Express for Universal Studios, with Steven Spielberg as director. When Zanuck/Brown dissolved in 1988, they had also produced box office successes like Cocoon and Driving Miss Daisy; Zanuck would go on to become the producer de jour for Tim Burton, paving the way for films such as Planet of The Apes (2001), Big Fish, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory and the most recent Dark Shadows, among others. Zanuck also produced critical hits such as Rules Of Engagement and Road To Perdition, as well as critical failures like Yes Man and Reign Of Fire.

In 1990, both Zanuck and former producing partner David brown were awarded the Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award (Oscar). Mr Zanuck passed away on July 13th, aged 77. In a coincidence, Zanuck’s father was also 77 when he died. For his contribution to popular cinema, we salute Richard D Zanuck here today.

Who wrote this?

Rodney Twelftree

“Some people say I like films. Those people are wrong. I *love* films.” – Me. I said this.

Rodney has been writing about films for well over two decades, appreciates a good wine, the love of his wife and kids, and the affection of his dog and cats. He has a fondness of cheesy 90’s action and classic Hollywood, hates that physical media is disappearing, and wishes somebody would make a high-budget series of The Neverending Story.

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