Alan Ladd Jr.

The son of the legendary star of “Deep Roots,” he dedicated his life to producing titles like “Star Wars” and “Braveheart,” for which he won an Oscar for best picture. Alan Ladd, Jr. passed away on March 2, 2022, at the age of 84, according to his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones. “Words cannot express how deeply we will miss him. His impact on movies and cinema will endure in his absence,” she said.

Born October 22, 1937, Alan Ladd Jr. was Alan Ladd’s only child  with Marjorie Jane Harrold. When they divorced, he was in charge of her mother, until she had health problems and moved in with her mother. “I spent little time with him, so my relationship was basically non-existent,” she said in an interview.

After serving in the Air Force in the late 1950s, Alan Ladd Jr. entered the movie business as a stuntman in his father’s films. He later became a talent agent at a company that represented stars like Judy Garland, Robert Redford . After a stint in London as a freelance producer, he returned to Los Angeles in 1973, when he was hired by 20th Century Fox. The studio hired him as head of creative affairs. His most famous decision was to pressure Fox to greenlight Star Wars , George Lucas ‘ bizarre fantasy epic.. When Ladd asked for a raise, and Fox was unwilling to grant it, he proposed that they give him the rights to the possible sequel and merchandising sales, and Ladd agreed, as this was not a huge source of income at the time. income. He also gave the thumbs up to Alien, the eighth passenger . 

Divorced from Patricia Ann Beazley, in September 1959, he joined Cindra Pincock, from whom he was about to separate, but who in the end remained with him until his death. The executive had four children, Keliann, Tracy, Amanda and Chelsea, who died very young.

After leaving Fox, Alan Ladd Jr. founded his own company, The Ladd Company, which produced hit films like Chariots of Fire , Blade Runner and Police Academy . In 1985, he joined MGM/UA and eventually became president and CEO of MGM-Pathé Communications. During his tenure, this company brought out titles like Thelma and Louise . At the end of his professional career, he reformed The Ladd Company in association with Paramount Pictures, to dedicate himself to titles such as Braveheart , directed by and starring Mel Gibson .