Academy Award nominated film producer Edward S. Feldman, known for producing hits such as 1985’s “Witness” and 1998’s “The Truman Show,” died Friday night Oct. 2, in Los Angeles at the age of 91, according to his spokesperson.
Feldman, whose career began during the golden age of Hollywood and lasted for over six decades, worked with such Hollywood legends as Glen Close, Debbie Reynolds, Harrison Ford, Jack Lemmon, Charlton Heston, John Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, Rutger Hauer, Burt Reynolds, Yul Brynner, Eddie Murphy, Mel Gibson and Gerard Depardieu. Feldman’s final film in 2002 reunited him with Harrison Ford at Paramount, “K-19 The Widowmaker,” when he decided to retire and spend more time with his family.
Feldman was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture for “Witness” and the BAFTA Award for Best Film for “Witness” and “The Truman Show.” In 2001, the Hollywood Film Festival honored him for Outstanding Achievement in Producing.
Born in The Bronx, after graduating from Michigan State University, Edward S. Feldman was hired by 20th Century Fox to work as a writer in the studio’s press book department in Manhattan. He quickly rose within the ranks, becoming the contact for fan magazines, trade papers and finally the New York City press. His employment at Fox was interrupted by a two-year stint with the United States Air Force, stationed at the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
In 1959 Feldman left Fox to promote “The World of Suzie Wong” and its producer, Ray Stark for Paramount Pictures. He left Paramount to join Embassy Pictures as the head of advertising and publicity. Two years later, Stark reunited with Feldman at Seven Arts Productions, where his first project as head of publicity, was the controversial screen adaptation of the film “Lolita.” Once Seven Arts acquired Warner Bros., Feldman relocated to Hollywood in 1967 where he became an executive at Warner Bros. He left Warner Bros. to join Filmways, which began his producing career. Feldman’s first credit as a film producer was the 1971 melodrama “What’s the Matter with Helen?” starring Debbie Reynolds and Shelley Winters.
Additional film credits include “Save the Tiger,” “The Other Side of the Mountain,” “Near Dark,” “The Hitcher,” “Honey I Blew Up The Kid,” “Hot Dog…The Movie,” “Witness,” “The Golden Child,” “Wired,” “Green Card,” “The Doctor,” “Forever Young,” the live-action “The Jungle Book,” the live-action “101 Dalmatians” and its sequel, “102 Dalmatians,” “The Truman Show,” and “K-19: The Widowmaker.”
For television, Feldman produced dozens of films and miniseries, including “Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story,” and “21 Hours at Munich” and TV Miniseries “King,” both of which earned him Emmy Award nominations.
Feldman was married to wife Lorraine for 63 years, who predeceased him, and is survived by his three children, Shari, Mark and Richard Feldman, four grandchildren, Jenna, Kyla, Justin and Lauren, and numerous friends who he helped and mentored during this life. Services are private and the family suggests donations to City of Hope, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, and UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.