Stanley R. Jaffe, Oscar-Winning ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ Producer, Dies at 84

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Stanley R. Jaffe, the movie producer and studio executive who received an Oscar in 1980 for ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ and guided numerous critically acclaimed films such as ‘Fatal Attraction’, ‘Goodbye, Columbus’, and ‘The Bad News Bears’, passed away on Monday. He was 84 years old.

Jaffe died peacefully at his home in Rancho Mirage, his daughter Betsy Jaffe announced.

As the child of Leo Jaffe, a man who dedicated over half a century to Columbia Pictures, I’m incredibly proud to share that history. Not only was my father recognized with an Academy Award nomination for his work on “Fatal Attraction” (1987), but he achieved this remarkable feat in collaboration with Sherry Lansing during our successful eight-year partnership at Jaffe-Lansing Productions.

At the age of 29, Jaffe was appointed executive vice president and COO of Paramount Pictures in October 1969, making him the youngest head of a significant studio in Hollywood history. Before he stepped down as president in August 1971 to go back to independent film production, he approved projects like “Love Story” (1970) and “The Godfather” (1972), which were also supported by the chief of production, Robert Evans.

Two decades after his initial departure from the studio’s leadership, Jaffe was appointed as president and COO of Paramount Communications by Martin Davis in 1992. He succeeded Brandon Tartikoff, a former NBC prodigy, as chairman of Paramount Pictures that same year. However, his tenure came to an end in 1994 when Viacom and Sumner Redstone won a bidding war to purchase the company for approximately $10 billion.

In terms of his role as a producer, Jaffe was very involved and hands-on. He explained that the films he found intriguing were those that explored family dynamics and the experiences of being a family member, whether it be in unity or estrangement, considering the challenges families face due to external pressures, as he shared with The New York Times shortly after directing his first movie, Without a Trace (1983).

Jaffe’s journey to the podium at the Academy Awards started when he hired a fresh film executive named Richard Fischoff, who obtained a copy of Avery Corman’s “Kramer vs. Kramer” manuscript before it hit bookstore shelves in 1977.

In the production process, Robert Benton was brought in to pen the script and take charge of direction. A daring decision was made to cast Meryl Streep, who was relatively new to the scene, for the lead role. This drama, centered around a family dealing with the aftermath of divorce, ultimately proved to be a triumph, winning the Best Picture award along with four additional Academy Awards.

Boy, I was raised in a household deeply connected to this enterprise for 51 years, and this [Oscar] has always held significant value for us, symbolizing excellence,” Jaffe expressed during his acceptance speech, referring to Kramer vs. Kramer as a film crafted with affection and centered around love.

I hail from the bustling Bronx, born on July 31, 1940, and nurtured in New Rochelle, New York. My father, a man of humble beginnings at Columbia’s mailroom, rose through the ranks, ascending to the position of chairman of the board in 1973. His contributions to humanity were recognized with the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Academy in 1979.

He primarily interacted with his father’s work through 16-millimeter film prints, so we would regularly screen two or three movies at home each weekend. However, our home wasn’t a gathering place for celebrities. His private life was just that – private, and distinct from his professional endeavors.

From the outset, Jaffe identified Sam Spiegel, who was associated with Columbia’s 1954 release of “On the Waterfront”, as the kind of producer he aspired to resemble. As Jaffe put it in Bernard F. Dick’s 2001 book “Engulfed: The Death of Paramount Pictures and the Birth of Corporate Hollywood”, “Five of his films were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, each directed by a different director.” This realization underscored to Jaffe the significance of producing early in his career.

In 1962, Jaffe completed his economics degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Subsequently, he was employed as an assistant to Eliot Hyman, co-founder of Seven Arts Productions. This was in 1962. A year later, in 1968, after Seven Arts had merged with Warner Bros., Jaffe decided to move on and joined CBS instead.

As a devoted admirer, I couldn’t help but marvel at the impeccable timing of securing the rights for “Goodbye, Columbus,” a 1959 novella penned by the then-ascending literary star, Philip Roth. Little did I know that this decision would prove to be a shrewd move, as Roth was about to catapult into one of America’s most sought-after authors with the publication of “Portnoy’s Complaint.” Reflecting on the moment, I recalled thinking, “Had I attempted to acquire the book three weeks later, I would have found it financially out of reach.

Jaffe obtained funds to produce the movie, managed to persuade the Oscar-nominated screenwriter Arnold Schulman to work for a mere $25,000, and teamed up sitcom actor Richard Benjamin with Ali MacGraw, a fresh face in acting who was previously an assistant photographer.

In May 1969, Larry Peerce directed the film Goodbye, Columbus, which became one of Paramount’s biggest successes for the year and caught the attention of Gulf & Western chief Charles Bluhdorn, who subsequently offered Jaffe a top position at Paramount.

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Released in May 1969, Goodbye, Columbus, directed by Larry Peerce, was one of Paramount’s most successful films that year. This impressive achievement caught the attention of Charles Bluhdorn, Gulf & Western’s chief executive officer, who then offered Jaffe a key position at Paramount.

In a 1982 interview with the Christian Science Monitor, Jaffe admitted that his inexperience prevented him from realizing he should have declined Bluhdorn’s offer. He explained that at 29 years old, he had enough confidence to take on such a role and promise to solve problems with sufficient funds. However, he was too young to understand that he shouldn’t have agreed so readily.

After departing from Paramount once, he established his own company, Jaffilms, which was linked with Columbia Pictures, and created “Bad Company” (1972), a film written and directed by Benton. Subsequently, he recruited Tatum O’Neal, who had recently won an Oscar for “Paper Moon”, to play a talented Little League pitcher in “The Bad News Bears” (1976) for $350,000.

In 1977, he rose to become the executive vice president of global production at Columbia Pictures. He achieved the highest point in his career with the movie “Kramer vs. Kramer”.

Jaffe first created the film ‘Taps’ in 1981, later venturing into direction with ‘Without a Trace’, a story focusing on the quest to find a missing 6-year-old child who went to school but didn’t return.

In 1984, he signed a five-year exclusive production deal with Paramount and teamed up with the ex-head of Fox Studios, Lansing. While she managed her operations from Paramount’s base in Hollywood, he continued to work out of his office in New York City.

Besides the blockbuster hit Fatal Attraction, featuring Michael Douglas and Glenn Close, other movies produced by their company also included Firstborn (1984) directed by Michael Apted, Racing With the Moon (1984), helmed by Paul Mazursky, The Accused (1988) starring Jodie Foster, Black Rain (1989) from Ridley Scott, and School Ties (1992), which Brett Ratner was initially set to direct but later went back to Paramount.

Frequently, Lansing referred to Jaffe as his “role model” and admitted that he “earnestly requested” her to assume the position of Chairman at Paramount in 1992, a role she accepted.

At Paramount Communications, he was responsible for managing Paramount Pictures, Simon & Schuster, Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers, and Paramount Parks. A significant moment in his life occurred in 1994 when the New York Rangers clinched the Stanley Cup – their first win since 54 years prior.

Lately, some of his work includes films like “Madeline” (1998), “I Dreamed of Africa” (2000), and a reinterpretation of “The Four Feathers” (2002).

Jaffe sat on various boards, such as The Wharton School, The Taft School, Rippowam Cisqua School, The Children’s Blood Foundation, and The Courtney Steel Foundation.

Among the individuals who carry on his legacy are his wife Melinda, whom he was married to for 38 years; children Bobby (alongside spouse Tracy), Betsy, Alex, and Katie (Dan); grandchildren Jordan, Leo, Avery, Sabrina, and Zoe; sister Marcia (with husband Gene); and brother Ira (with wife Sonda), a former head of Paramount’s music division Famous Music. Another sibling, Andrea Jaffe, a publicist, passed away in 2016 at the age of 66.

Contributions can be made using his name, with the purpose of funding the renovation and conservation of film art at the Margaret Herrick Library. A memorial event is currently being arranged.

They mentioned that he will be fondly remembered as an innovative thinker, a generous benefactor, a devoted spouse, parent, grandparent, and companion. His enduring traits of honesty, kindness, and ingenuity will continue to serve as a guiding light for future generations. A day well-spent in Stanley’s eyes was enjoying golf with his numerous friends.

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2025-03-11 02:28