Alan Ladd Jr., Oscar-Winning Producer Who Greenlit Star Wars , Dead at 84: He 'Loved Film'

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Alan Ladd Jr., an Oscar-winning producer behind an array of iconic films, has died. He was 84.

Ladd Jr.'s daughter, Amanda Ladd-Jones, confirmed he died on Wednesday in a social media statement. No cause of death was given.

"With the heaviest of hearts, we announce that on March 2, 2022, Alan Ladd, Jr. died peacefully at home surrounded by his family," she wrote in a Facebook post, which was shared on a page for a documentary she helmed that was centered around him.

"Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed," his daughter added. "His impact on films and filmmaking will live on in his absence."

Alongside Ladd-Jones, Ladd Jr. is survived by his second wife, Cindra, other daughters Kelliann and Tracy, and brother David, per The Hollywood Reporter. He was preceded in death by another daughter, Chelsea, who died at age 34 in March 2021.

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Born on Oct. 22, 1937, in Los Angeles, California, Ladd Jr. was the son of Alan Ladd, an actor and producer who found film success throughout the 1940s and early 1950s.

Ladd Jr. began his illustrious film career when he took a job at Creative Management Associates in 1963. There, he represented mega stars among the likes of Judy Garland, Robert Redford and Warren Beatty, according to Deadline.

In the early 1970s, Ladd Jr. then began producing films, and became the Head of Creative Affairs at Twentieth Century Fox, before later serving as studio president for the entertainment company, the outlet added.

While at Fox, Ladd Jr. greenlit George Lucas' Star Wars, which he did, per THR, "against the wishes of his board of directors." He also helped bring other films to life, including Alien, The Omen, Young Frankenstein, Norma Rae, All That Jazz, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Rose.

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Ladd Jr. later resigned from Fox in 1979 and formed The Ladd Co. with his Fox associates, Jay Kanter and Gareth Wigan, per THR. There, the company produced films like Blade Runner, Body Heat, Night Shift, The Right Stuff and Police Academy.

After the company suffered some financial issues, Ladd Jr. then joined MGM in 1983, where he helped bring films like Spaceballs, Moonstruck, A Fish Called Wanda and Rain Man to life, the outlet added.

Ladd Jr. then moved over to Giancarlo Parretti's Pathe Entertainment years later, before he started a second stint with MGM in 1991. He then re-established The Ladd Co. through a production deal with Paramount, THR reported, where Mel Gibson's Braveheart found a home.

The Ladd Co. also produced The Brady Bunch Movie, A Very Brady Sequel and The Phantom. More recent products include An Unfinished Life and Gone Baby Gone.

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In a statement given to THR, Lucas, 77, told the outlet that Ladd Jr. "loved film and believed in filmmakers."

"He was one of the few executives who bet on the person rather than the project," he added. "Without Laddie there would be no Star Wars. He didn't understand what Star Wars was about, but he believed in me and supported my vision. Quiet and thoughtful, he had an independent spirit that gave so many storytellers a chance. He stood up to the studios and went with his gut instinct. Laddie took a great personal and professional risk on Star Wars, and on me, and for that I will be forever grateful."