Robert Relyea obit

Former MGM/UA Production Prexy Robert Relyea Dies at 82

Producer and exec was also second unit director on 'The Great Escape' 

He was not on the list.

Producer Robert E. Relyea, who worked on pics alongside Elvis Presley, John Wayne and Steve McQueen (pictured with Relyea at left), and held top production posts at Paramount, Lorimar and MGM/UA, died on March 5 in Westlake Village, Calif. He was 82.

Relyea joined MGM in 1955 as an entry-level crew member and, in a career spanning more than half a century, worked his way up to prexy of production of MGM/UA from 1997-2001.

Relyea climbed the production ladder and studio ranks, working as first assistant director on numerous MGM projects, and in 1961 joined John Sturges’ Alpha Corp., where he served as associate producer and second-unit helmer on “The Great Escape.”

Other credits include “The Magnificent Seven,” “West Side Story,” the Elvis Presley-starrer “Jailhouse Rock,” John Wayne’s “The Alamo” and “Never So Few,” which featured Frank Sinatra and Steve McQueen.

Relyea formed a partnership in 1966 with McQueen on the star’s indie shingle, Solar Prods., where Relyea served as exec producer. Indie credits include “The Day of the Dolphin,” “Blame It on Rio” and “Last Action Hero.”

Relyea also held exec posts at Melvin Simon Prods., Lorimar and Par, where he served as senior VP of motion picture management.

In 1996, then-California Gov. Pete Wilson appointed Relyea to head the California Film Commission, and in 2008, Relyea penned an autobiography about his career, which was titled “Not So Quiet on the Set.”

Born in Santa Monica, Calif. in 1930, Relyea attended UCLA and marked the third generation of his family to work in the motion picture biz.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; five children; two stepchildren; and grandchildren.

Donations in Relyea’s name may be made to the Motion Picture & Television Fund.

Actor

Susan Kiger, Barbara Leigh, and William Smith in Seven (1979)

Seven

5.8

Harris (as Robert Relyea)

1979

 

Producer

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Austin O'Brien in Last Action Hero (1993)

Last Action Hero

6.5

co-producer (co-produced by)

1993

 

Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Michelle Johnson, and Joseph Bologna in Blame It on Rio (1984)

Blame It on Rio

5.8

associate producer

1984

 

Elizabeth Montgomery and Jane Seymour in The Awakening Land (1978)

The Awakening Land

8.2

TV Mini Series

producer

1978

3 episodes

 

Panache (1976)

Panache

7.1

TV Movie

producer

1976

 

High Risk (1976)

High Risk

5.6

TV Movie

producer

1976

 

The Savage Is Loose (1974)

The Savage Is Loose

5.3

executive producer

1974

 

Sam Elliott in Evel Knievel (1974)

Evel Knievel

6.2

TV Movie

executive producer

1974

 

The Day of the Dolphin (1973)

The Day of the Dolphin

6.0

producer

1973

 

Key West (1973)

Key West

6.4

TV Movie

producer (as Robert Relyea)

1973

 

Steve McQueen in Le Mans (1971)

Le Mans

6.7

executive producer

1971

 

Adam at Six A.M. (1970)

Adam at Six A.M.

5.6

executive producer

1970

 

Steve McQueen in The Reivers (1969)

The Reivers

6.6

executive producer

1969

 

Steve McQueen in Bullitt (1968)

Bullitt

7.4

executive producer

1968

 

Burt Lancaster and Lee Remick in The Hallelujah Trail (1965)

The Hallelujah Trail

6.5

associate producer

1965

 

Production Manager

Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Michelle Johnson, and Joseph Bologna in Blame It on Rio (1984)

Blame It on Rio

5.8

production manager

1984

 

Noel Harrison and Stefanie Powers in The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (1966)

The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.

6.6

TV Series

unit production manager (as Robert Relyea)

1966–1967

29 episodes

 

Kings of the Sun (1963)

Kings of the Sun

6.1

unit manager

1963

 

Elvis Presley, Lola Albright, and Joan Blackman in Kid Galahad (1962)

Kid Galahad

6.1

unit production manager

1962

 

Second Unit or Assistant Director

Burt Lancaster and Lee Remick in The Hallelujah Trail (1965)

The Hallelujah Trail

6.5

second unit director (uncredited)

1965

 

Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueen, and James Garner in The Great Escape (1963)

The Great Escape

8.2

second unit director (uncredited)

1963

 

Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, and James Garner in The Children's Hour (1961)

The Children's Hour

7.8

assistant director

1961

 

"West Side Story" (Saul Bass Poster) 1961

West Side Story

7.6

assistant director

1961

 

John Wayne, Richard Widmark, and Laurence Harvey in The Alamo (1960)

The Alamo

6.8

assistant director

1960

 

Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, and Eli Wallach in The Magnificent Seven (1960)

The Magnificent Seven

7.7

assistant director

1960

 

Never So Few (1959)

Never So Few

5.8

assistant director

1959

 

Audrey Hepburn and Anthony Perkins in Green Mansions (1959)

Green Mansions

5.3

assistant director

1959

 

José Ferrer and Gena Rowlands in The High Cost of Loving (1958)

The High Cost of Loving

6.5

assistant director

1958

 

Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Jailhouse Rock

6.5

assistant director

1957

 

Until They Sail (1957)

Until They Sail

6.5

first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

1957

 

Jack Palance and Barbara Lang in House of Numbers (1957)

House of Numbers

6.4

second assistant director

1957

 

Stewart Granger, Rhonda Fleming, and Steve Rowland in Gun Glory (1957)

Gun Glory

6.2

second assistant director (uncredited)

1957

 

Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford, and Machiko Kyô in The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956)

The Teahouse of the August Moon

6.6

second assistant director (uncredited)

1956

 

The Swan (1956)

The Swan

6.4

assistant director (uncredited)

1956

 

Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)

Meet Me in Las Vegas

6.1

assistant director (uncredited)

1956

 

Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae in Oklahoma! (1955)

Oklahoma!

7.0

second assistant director (uncredited)

1955

 

Minna Gombell, Howard Keel, Charles Mauu, and Esther Williams in Pagan Love Song (1950)

Pagan Love Song

5.8

assistant director (uncredited)

1950

 

Stunts

Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueen, and James Garner in The Great Escape (1963)

The Great Escape

8.2

stunt pilot (uncredited)

1963

 

Camera and Electrical Department

The Great Escape: The Flight to Freedom (2001)

The Great Escape: The Flight to Freedom

6.5

TV Short

still photographer (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

The Great Escape: Preparations for Freedom (2001)

The Great Escape: Preparations for Freedom

6.9

TV Short

still photographer (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

The Great Escape: Bringing Fact to Fiction (2001)

The Great Escape: Bringing Fact to Fiction

6.3

TV Short

still photographer (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

The Great Escape: A Standing Ovation (2001)

The Great Escape: A Standing Ovation

6.3

TV Short

still photographer (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

Additional Crew

Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueen, and James Garner in The Great Escape (1963)

The Great Escape

8.2

assistant to producer

1963

 

Thanks

Bai Ling, Adrian Paul, and Nick Cornish in Storm Watch (2002)

Storm Watch

4.7

thanks

2002

 

The Great Escape: The Flight to Freedom (2001)

The Great Escape: The Flight to Freedom

6.5

TV Short

special thanks (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

The Great Escape: Preparations for Freedom (2001)

The Great Escape: Preparations for Freedom

6.9

TV Short

special thanks (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

The Great Escape: Bringing Fact to Fiction (2001)

The Great Escape: Bringing Fact to Fiction

6.3

TV Short

special thanks (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

The Great Escape: A Standing Ovation (2001)

The Great Escape: A Standing Ovation

6.3

TV Short

special thanks (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

Self

The Coolest Guy Movie Ever: Return to the Scene of The Great Escape (2018)

The Coolest Guy Movie Ever: Return to the Scene of The Great Escape

5.5

Self

2018

 

West Side Story: A Place for Us - West Side Story's Legacy

5.0

Short

Self

2011

 

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical (2009)

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical

8.0

Video

Self

2009

 

The Scene That Stole Jailhouse Rock (2007)

The Scene That Stole Jailhouse Rock

7.3

Video

Self - Assistant Director, 'Jailhouse Rock'

2007

 

The Linen Book: Lost Images from 'the Magnificent Seven'

7.2

Video

Self (as Robert Relyea)

2006

 

Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool (2005)

Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool

7.4

TV Movie

Self - Interviewee (as Robert Relyea)

2005

 

West Side Memories

7.7

Video

Self (as Robert Relyea)

2003

 

The Definitive Elvis: The Hollywood Years - Part II: 1962-1969

8.4

Video

Self

2002

 

The Definitive Elvis: The Hollywood Years - Part I: 1956-1961

7.5

Video

Self

2002

 

Filming at Speed: The Making of the Movie Le Mans

8.0

TV Movie

Self (as Bob Relyea)

2001

 

The Great Escape: The Flight to Freedom (2001)

The Great Escape: The Flight to Freedom

6.5

TV Short

Self (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

The Great Escape: Preparations for Freedom (2001)

The Great Escape: Preparations for Freedom

6.9

TV Short

Self (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

The Great Escape: Bringing Fact to Fiction (2001)

The Great Escape: Bringing Fact to Fiction

6.3

TV Short

Self (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

The Great Escape: A Standing Ovation (2001)

The Great Escape: A Standing Ovation

6.3

TV Short

Self (as Robert Relyea)

2001

 

Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven' (2000)

Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven'

7.1

TV Movie

Self (as Robert Relyea)

2000

 

E! True Hollywood Story (1996)

E! True Hollywood Story

6.5

TV Series

Self

1998

2 episodes

 

Steve McQueen: The King of Cool (1998)

Steve McQueen: The King of Cool

7.8

TV Movie

Self

1998

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Austin O'Brien in Behind the scenes with Last Action Hero (1993)

Behind the scenes with Last Action Hero

8.2

TV Special

Self

1993

 

Return to 'the Great Escape' (1993)

Return to 'the Great Escape'

6.9

Video

Self (as Robert Relyea)

1993

 

Steve McQueen: Man on the Edge (1989)

Steve McQueen: Man on the Edge

7.2

Video

Self - Producer

1989

 

Archive Footage

STEVE MCQUEEN: THE MAN & LE MANS is the story of obsession, betrayal and ultimate vindication.t is the story of how one of the most volatile, charismatic stars of his generation, who seemingly lost so much he held dear in the pursuit of his dream,  nevertheless followed it to the end.

Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans

6.8

Self - Business Partner (archive footage, as Bob Relyea)

2015