Fred Roos, the Oscar-winning producer of The Godfather Part II and many other notable films, has died. He was 89.
Roos had a long relationship with Francis Ford Coppola, serving as producer or co-producer on many of the director’s best known films, including the second and third Godfather films (the second bringing him his Oscar), The Conversation, Apocalypse Now, One From The Heart and The Cotton Club.
Most recently, Roos served as executive producer of Coppola’s Megalopolis, which premiered this week at the Cannes festival.
Born in Santa Monica, Roos began his film career in the mailroom at talent agency MCA. He became an agent and then made his mark as a casting director on films including Five Easy Pieces, American Graffiti and the original The Godfather. As a casting director, he launched the careers of stars including Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise.
Roos also worked with members of Coppola’s family, serving as executive producer on Eleanor Coppola’s Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse and on Sofia Coppola films including Lost In Translation, Somewhere and Priscilla.
In 1988, Roos received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Casting Society of America and in 2004 he was awarded the Telluride Film Festival’s Silver Medallion for his achievements in the film industry.
Roos’ son and producing partner Alexander Roos continues to produce a slate of projects in active development and production under the father-son team’s FR Productions banner.
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