Arthur Gardner obit

 

Hollywood producer Arthur Gardner dies at 104

He was not on the list.

Longtime Hollywood producer Arthur Gardner, a voting member of the motion picture academy as a centenarian, died Friday of natural causes at Sunrise Beverly Hills Assisted Living, said his son, Steven. He was 104.

Gardner joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences more than a half-century ago when he first became a producer.

The last film he produced was “Safari 3000” in 1982.

“He wouldn’t do anything in life but be in the business,” Steven said of his father’s love for Hollywood.

Born Arthur Goldberg in 1910, Gardner was raised in Wisconsin and moved to Los Angeles in 1929 at 18 with dreams of becoming an actor. Like many Jewish actors at the time, he changed his name because of fears of anti-Semitism, he told The Times in an interview.

One of the first movies he was cast in was “All Quiet on the Western Front.” It was a small role, but during that time he met George Cukor, the filmmaker who would go on to direct “A Star Is Born” and “My Fair Lady,” Gardner told The Times.

During World War II, he served in the Army’s first motion picture unit, making educational and other films under Ronald Reagan. When the war ended, Gardner turned to producing, making his debut with a 1952 serial-killer B movie titled “Without Warning!”

During his career, Gardner worked with Chuck Connors and Barbara Stanwyck, as well as John Wayne on one of the actor’s final films, 1974’s “McQ.”

“The Rifleman,” the popular 1950s Western television series, was one of Gardner’s best-known works.

Johnny Crawford, who starred in the show along with Chuck Connors, told The Times he adored Gardner.

“He was just a class act,” Crawford said. “I always admired him as a kid.”

Crawford played Mark McCain, Lucas McCain’s son, on the show that ran for five seasons on ABC.

“He was unlike so many other producers who were all business,” Crawford said. “He was a wonderful guy.”

Gardner, who according to Steven said he did not have a favorite movie but rather loved them all, was an active voter for the Academy until he was 100. That also happens to be the year he threw out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium.

Producer

Safari 3000 (1982)

Safari 3000

4.6

producer

1982

 

Burt Reynolds and Lauren Hutton in Gator (1976)

Gator

5.8

producer

1976

 

Brannigan (1975)

Brannigan

6.1

producer

1975

 

John Wayne and Diana Muldaur in McQ (1974)

McQ

6.2

producer

1974

 

White Lightning (1973)

White Lightning

6.4

producer

1973

 

Raquel Welch in Kansas City Bomber (1972)

Kansas City Bomber

5.5

executive producer

1972

 

The Honkers (1972)

The Honkers

6.1

producer

1972

 

Candice Bergen and Oliver Reed in The Hunting Party (1971)

The Hunting Party

6.2

executive producer

1971

 

Brian Keith and Helmut Griem in The McKenzie Break (1970)

The McKenzie Break

6.5

producer

1970

 

Underground (1970)

Underground

5.2

producer

1970

 

Lee Majors, Barbara Stanwyck, Linda Evans, Peter Breck, and Richard Long in The Big Valley (1965)

The Big Valley

7.6

TV Series

executive producer

producer

1965–1969

112 episodes

 

Sam Whiskey (1969)

Sam Whiskey

5.9

producer

1969

 

The Scalphunters (1968)

The Scalphunters

6.7

producer

1968

 

Elvis Presley in Clambake (1967)

Clambake

5.6

producer

1967

 

The Glory Guys (1965)

The Glory Guys

6.1

producer

1965

 

The only authorized DVD edition of all episodes in  Season One.

The Rifleman

8.3

TV Series

producer

1958–1963

166 episodes

 

The Detectives (1959)

The Detectives

7.5

TV Series

executive producer

producer

1959–1962

97 episodes

 

Chuck Connors in Geronimo (1962)

Geronimo

5.8

executive producer

1962

 

The Dick Powell Theatre (1961)

The Dick Powell Theatre

7.4

TV Series

producer

1962

1 episode

 

Michael Ansara in Law of the Plainsman (1959)

Law of the Plainsman

8.2

TV Series

executive producer

1959–1960

26 episodes

 

Norma Eberhardt, Francis Lederer, Ray Stricklyn, Virginia Vincent, and John Wengraf in The Return of Dracula (1958)

The Return of Dracula

5.7

producer

1958

 

Robert Brown, Kathleen Crowley, and Arthur Franz in The Flame Barrier (1958)

The Flame Barrier

4.7

producer

1958

 

Dick Powell in Zane Grey Theatre (1956)

Zane Grey Theatre

7.5

TV Series

producer

1958

1 episode

 

Barbara Darrow in The Monster That Challenged the World (1957)

The Monster That Challenged the World

5.7

producer

1957

 

John Beal and Coleen Gray in The Vampire (1957)

The Vampire

5.8

producer

1957

 

Down Three Dark Streets (1954)

Down Three Dark Streets

6.7

producer

1954

 

Edward G. Robinson, Paulette Goddard, K.T. Stevens, and Adam Williams in Vice Squad (1953)

Vice Squad

6.7

producer

1953

 

Without Warning! (1952)

Without Warning!

6.6

producer

1952

 

Don DeFore and Andrea King in Southside 1-1000 (1950)

Southside 1-1000

6.3

assistant producer

1950

 

Lois Andrews, Preston Foster, Victor McLaglen, and Kent Taylor in Roger Touhy, Gangster (1944)

Roger Touhy, Gangster

6.8

assistant producer

1944

 

Actor

John Beal and Coleen Gray in The Vampire (1957)

The Vampire

5.8

Anesthetist (uncredited)

1957

 

Down Three Dark Streets (1954)

Down Three Dark Streets

6.7

FBI Agent (uncredited)

1954

 

Jane Adams, Rondo Hatton, Donald MacBride, and Tom Neal in The Brute Man (1946)

The Brute Man

4.4

Dancer (uncredited)

1946

 

Belita and Barry Sullivan in Suspense (1946)

Suspense

6.4

Party Guest (uncredited)

1946

 

Mary Brian, William Henry, and Dean Jagger in I Escaped from the Gestapo (1943)

I Escaped from the Gestapo

5.5

FBI Man (uncredited)

1943

 

Ricardo Cortez, William Henry, and Rochelle Hudson in Rubber Racketeers (1942)

Rubber Racketeers

5.5

Henchman (uncredited)

1942

 

Jimmy Durante, Kay Aldridge, Leslie Brooks, Georgia Carroll, Marguerite Chapman, Peggy Diggins, Phil Silvers, Alix Talton, Jane Wyman, and Navy Blues Sextette in You're in the Army Now (1941)

You're in the Army Now

6.1

Man (uncredited)

1941

 

Ricardo Cortez, Iris Adrian, Ralf Harolde, and Joan Woodbury in I Killed That Man (1941)

I Killed That Man

5.7

Reporter (uncredited)

1941

 

Mary Healy and Jack La Rue in Hard Guy (1941)

Hard Guy

4.8

Dick Clayton

1941

 

Kay Aldridge, Leslie Brooks, Georgia Carroll, Marguerite Chapman, Peggy Diggins, Jack Haley, Claire James, Jack Oakie, Martha Raye, and Ann Sheridan in Navy Blues (1941)

Navy Blues

5.7

Sailor (uncredited)

1941

 

William Holden, Veronica Lake, Ray Milland, and Brian Donlevy in I Wanted Wings (1941)

I Wanted Wings

6.3

Mechanic (uncredited)

1941

 

James Cagney and George Raft in Each Dawn I Die (1939)

Each Dawn I Die

7.2

Man in Car (uncredited)

1939

 

Mickey Rooney, Ann Rutherford, and Lewis Stone in Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever (1939)

Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever

6.5

Young Man in Court (uncredited)

1939

 

Sheila Bromley, Gloria Dickson, Dennis Morgan, and Larry Williams in Waterfront (1939)

Waterfront

5.8

Dan Dolen

1939

 

Gloria Dickson and Dick Foran in Heart of the North (1938)

Heart of the North

5.4

Constable Larry Young

1938

 

Paulette Goddard, Alan Marshal, and Luise Rainer in Dramatic School (1938)

Dramatic School

6.2

Student (uncredited)

1938

 

Betty Compson in The Mystic Circle Murder (1938)

The Mystic Circle Murder

5.2

Elliot Cole

1938

 

Peter Lorre, Dick Baldwin, Lynn Bari, Douglas Fowley, and Harold Huber in Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938)

Mr. Moto's Gamble

6.6

Elevator Boy (uncredited)

1938

 

Assassin of Youth (1938)

Assassin of Youth

4.5

Art Brighton

1938

 

Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell in Shipmates Forever (1935)

Shipmates Forever

6.0

Bit (uncredited)

1935

 

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

All Quiet on the Western Front

8.1

Student (uncredited)

1930

 

John Boles and Jeanie Lang in King of Jazz (1930)

King of Jazz

6.7

Chorus Boy (uncredited)

1930

 

Cross Country Run

4.9

Short

Arthur - a Student (uncredited)

1929

 

The Rivals

Short

Arthur

1929

 

Additional Crew

Brannigan (1975)

Brannigan

6.1

presenter

1975

 

Mutiny (1952)

Mutiny

5.2

assistant to the producers

1952

 

James Craig, Guy Madison, and Barbara Payton in Drums in the Deep South (1951)

Drums in the Deep South

5.8

assistant to producers

1951

 

Peggy Cummins and John Dall in Gun Crazy (1950)

Gun Crazy

7.6

assistant to producers

1950

 

Marjorie Reynolds and Barry Sullivan in Badmen of Tombstone (1949)

Badmen of Tombstone

6.1

assistant to producers

1949

 

Eddie Albert, James Gleason, Barton MacLane, Gilbert Roland, and Gale Storm in The Dude Goes West (1948)

The Dude Goes West

6.7

assistant to producers

1948

 

Belita and Barry Sullivan in The Gangster (1947)

The Gangster

6.5

assistant to producers

1947