Ronald L. Schwary obit

Ronald L. Schwary Dies: Oscar-Winning ‘Ordinary People’ Producer & Sydney Pollack Collaborator Was 76

 He was not on the list.

Ronald Schwary, who won an Oscar as the producer of Ordinary People and whose other major film successes include A Soldier’s Story, Absence of Malice, Scent of a Woman and Tootsie, has died. He was 76. He passed away Thursday in West Hollywood, according to his sons.

Schwary had struggled with a rare neurological autonomic disorder and complications led to his death.

Schwary was the producer on six Sydney Pollack-directed films: The Electric Horseman (1979) and Havana (1990), with Robert Redford; Absence of Malice (1981), starring Paul Newman; Best Picture nominee Tootsie (1982), with Dustin Hoffman; Sabrina (1995), featuring Harrison Ford, and Random Hearts (1999), also starring Ford.

Schwary was also the executive producer on two Martin Brest-directed films: Scent of a Woman (1992), starring Al Pacino; and Meet Joe Black (1998), starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins.

Even though the films were nominated for Best Picture, Schwary did not receive a nomination for either Tootsie or Scent of a Woman or because he was not credited as “Producer.”

On Tootsie, there was a dispute between Columbia and the production regarding the number of credited producers. Columbia offered a co-producer credit to Schwary, but he turned it down. Thus, he is uncredited as a producer — though he is credited as an actor on the film.

His body of work also includes *batteries not included (1987), starring Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy; The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), with Barbra Streisand; and Meet Joe Black (1998), starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins.

Ordinary People marked Robert Redford’s directorial debut and was also the first feature that Schwary produced himself. It starred Mary Tyler Moore as a suburban mother who struggled with her teenage son (Timothy Hutton) as she coped with the death of her favorite child. Redford, Schwary, Hutton and Alvin Sargent — screenplay adaptation — all won Oscars for the film.

Schwary later had another Best Picture nomination for Norman Jewison’s A Soldier’s Story (1984), starring Howard E. Rollins Jr.

In television, he was the producer of the Vietnam war series Tour of Duty and executive producer alongside Glenn Gordon Caron of Now and Again and the series Medium, starring Patricia Arquette, for seven seasons.

Schwary won a DGA award for outstanding directorial achievement in a comedy series — shared with Gene Reynolds and Wes McAfee — for the 1972 pilot episode of M*A*S*H.  He was an assistant director in the early 1970s. He eventually became a production manager with the assistance of his mentor, the director Bob Butler, and producer Ray Stark.

Born on May 23, 1944, in The Dalles, Oregon, Schwary began his studies at USC as a film major before graduating in 1967 with a business degree.

Survivors include his sons, Brian and Neil; brothers, Mitchell Jr., Dennis and Gary; his sister, Carol; and his grandson, Mars. A private funeral service will be held at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills. A memorial to celebrate his life and work will be planned for 2021.

Director

Patricia Arquette in Medium (2005)

Medium

7.1

TV Series

Director

2005–2009

5 episodes

 

Eric Close, Margaret Colin, and Dennis Haysbert in Now and Again (1999)

Now and Again

8.1

TV Series

Director

2000

2 episodes

 

Sela Ward, Swoosie Kurtz, Patricia Kalember, and Sheila Kelley in Sisters (1991)

Sisters

7.5

TV Series

Director

1996

1 episode

 

Tony Becker, Eric Bruskotter, Stephen Caffrey, Stan Foster, Ramón Franco, Terence Knox, and Miguel A. Núñez Jr. in Tour of Duty (1987)

Tour of Duty

8.3

TV Series

Director

1988

1 episode

 

Actor

Harrison Ford in Sabrina (1995)

Sabrina

6.3

Sheik (as Ronald Schwary)

1995

 

Chevy Chase and Jack Palance in Cops and Robbersons (1994)

Cops and Robbersons

5.2

Producer

1994

 

Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)

*batteries not included

6.6

Louie (as Ronald Schwary)

1987

 

Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie (1982)

Tootsie

7.4

Phil Weintraub

1982

 

Ann-Margret, Stockard Channing, Peter Falk, Dom DeLuise, Louise Fletcher, Madeline Kahn, John Houseman, Eileen Brennan, Sid Caesar, James Coco, Fernando Lamas, Marsha Mason, Phil Silvers, Paul Williams, and Nicol Williamson in The Cheap Detective (1978)

The Cheap Detective

6.4

Cab Driver

1978

 

Casey's Shadow (1978)

Casey's Shadow

6.1

Ticket Seller

1978

 

Britt Ekland in The Ultimate Thrill (1974)

The Ultimate Thrill

5.9

Danny

1974

 

Maurice Evans in Planet of the Apes (1968)

Planet of the Apes

8.0

Frightened human (uncredited)

1968

 

Producer

Patricia Arquette in Medium (2005)

Medium

7.1

TV Series

executive producer

2005–2011

124 episodes

 

The Meant to Be's (2008)

The Meant to Be's

6.4

TV Movie

executive producer

2008

 

Partners and Crime

6.4

TV Movie

executive producer

2003

 

Jo

6.7

TV Movie

executive producer

2002

 

Fling

5.9

TV Series

executive producer

2001

3 episodes

 

Eric Close, Margaret Colin, and Dennis Haysbert in Now and Again (1999)

Now and Again

8.1

TV Series

executive producer

1999–2000

22 episodes

 

Random Hearts (1999)

Random Hearts

5.4

executive producer

1999

 

Meet Joe Black (1998)

Meet Joe Black

7.2

executive producer

1998

 

Jeff Bridges and Barbra Streisand in The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996)

The Mirror Has Two Faces

6.6

co-executive producer (as Ronald Schwary)

1996

 

Harrison Ford in Sabrina (1995)

Sabrina

6.3

executive producer (as Ronald Schwary)

1995

 

Chevy Chase and Jack Palance in Cops and Robbersons (1994)

Cops and Robbersons

5.2

producer (produced by)

1994

 

Al Pacino and Chris O'Donnell in Scent of a Woman (1992)

Scent of a Woman

8.0

executive producer

1992

 

The Brotherhood

4.5

TV Movie

producer

1991

 

Lena Olin and Robert Redford in Havana (1990)

Havana

6.1

executive producer

1990

 

Tony Becker, Eric Bruskotter, Stephen Caffrey, Stan Foster, Ramón Franco, Terence Knox, and Miguel A. Núñez Jr. in Tour of Duty (1987)

Tour of Duty

8.3

TV Series

producer

1987–1988

21 episodes

 

Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)

*batteries not included

6.6

producer

1987

 

A Soldier's Story (1984)

A Soldier's Story

7.2

producer

1984

 

Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie (1982)

Tootsie

7.4

producer (uncredited)

1982

 

Let's Spend the Night Together (1982)

Let's Spend the Night Together

6.5

producer

1982

 

Paul Newman and Sally Field in Absence of Malice (1981)

Absence of Malice

6.9

executive producer

1981

 

Timothy Hutton, Donald Sutherland, and Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People (1980)

Ordinary People

7.7

producer

1980

 

The Electric Horseman (1979)

The Electric Horseman

6.4

associate producer

1979

 

Alan Alda, Michael Caine, Jane Fonda, Walter Matthau, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Maggie Smith, and Elaine May in California Suite (1978)

California Suite

6.2

associate producer

1978

 

Shadow of the Hawk (1976)

Shadow of the Hawk

5.4

associate producer

1976

 

Production Manager

Harrison Ford in Sabrina (1995)

Sabrina

6.3

production manager (as Ronald Schwary)

1995

 

The Brotherhood

4.5

TV Movie

production manager

1991

 

Paul Newman and Sally Field in Absence of Malice (1981)

Absence of Malice

6.9

production manager

1981

 

Timothy Hutton, Donald Sutherland, and Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People (1980)

Ordinary People

7.7

unit production manager

1980

 

The Electric Horseman (1979)

The Electric Horseman

6.4

production manager

1979

 

Alan Alda, Michael Caine, Jane Fonda, Walter Matthau, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Maggie Smith, and Elaine May in California Suite (1978)

California Suite

6.2

production manager

1978

 

Ann-Margret, Stockard Channing, Peter Falk, Dom DeLuise, Louise Fletcher, Madeline Kahn, John Houseman, Eileen Brennan, Sid Caesar, James Coco, Fernando Lamas, Marsha Mason, Phil Silvers, Paul Williams, and Nicol Williamson in The Cheap Detective (1978)

The Cheap Detective

6.4

unit production manager

1978

 

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

7.6

unit production manager: additional scenes (1980 special version, uncredited)

1977

 

In the Glitter Palace (1977)

In the Glitter Palace

6.0

TV Movie

unit production manager

1977

 

Second Unit or Assistant Director

Tony Becker, Eric Bruskotter, Stephen Caffrey, Stan Foster, Ramón Franco, Terence Knox, and Miguel A. Núñez Jr. in Tour of Duty (1987)

Tour of Duty

8.3

TV Series

second unit director (as Ron Schwary)

1987–1988

20 episodes

 

Casey's Shadow (1978)

Casey's Shadow

6.1

assistant director

1978

 

In the Glitter Palace (1977)

In the Glitter Palace

6.0

TV Movie

assistant director

1977

 

Jacqueline Bisset and Charles Bronson in St. Ives (1976)

St. Ives

6.2

assistant director

1976

 

Shadow of the Hawk (1976)

Shadow of the Hawk

5.4

assistant director

1976

 

Spencer's Pilots (1976)

Spencer's Pilots

6.9

TV Series

assistant director

1976

1 episode

 

Charles Bronson in Breakheart Pass (1975)

Breakheart Pass

6.7

first assistant director

1975

 

Jack Lemmon in The Entertainer (1975)

The Entertainer

7.6

TV Movie

first assistant director

1975

 

Charles Bronson, Robert Duvall, John Huston, Randy Quaid, Jill Ireland, and Sheree North in Breakout (1975)

Breakout

6.1

assistant director

1975

 

Claude Akins, Frank Converse, and Merle Haggard in Movin' On (1974)

Movin' On

7.3

TV Series

assistant director

1975

3 episodes

 

Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones (1973)

Barnaby Jones

6.9

TV Series

assistant director

1975

1 episode

 

Peter Fonda and Susan George in Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (1974)

Dirty Mary Crazy Larry

6.6

assistant director

1974

 

The Stranger Who Looks Like Me (1974)

The Stranger Who Looks Like Me

5.9

TV Movie

assistant director (as Ron Schwary)

1974

 

William Holden in The Blue Knight (1973)

The Blue Knight

7.0

TV Movie

assistant director

1973

 

Kung Fu (1972)

Kung Fu

7.6

TV Series

assistant director

1973

6 episodes

 

Save the Tiger (1973)

Save the Tiger

6.9

second assistant director (as Ron Schwary)

1973

 

The Little People (1972)

The Little People

7.8

TV Series

assistant director (as Ronald Schwary)

1972

1 episode

 

Kam Fong, Al Harrington, Jack Lord, and James MacArthur in Hawaii Five-O (1968)

Hawaii Five-O

7.4

TV Series

second assistant director (uncredited)

1970–1971

2 episodes

 

Additional Crew

Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft in The Graduate (1967)

The Graduate

8.0

Dustin Hoffman's stand-in (uncredited)

1967

 

Thanks

The Oscars (2021)

The Oscars

3.7

TV Special

in memoriam

2021

 

Self

Gimme a Sign: Engineering Now and Again (2014)

Gimme a Sign: Engineering Now and Again

Self

2014

 

The 57th Annual Academy Awards (1985)

The 57th Annual Academy Awards

5.7

TV Special

Self - Nominee

1985

 

Sally Field in The 42nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1985)

The 42nd Annual Golden Globe Awards

7.6

TV Special

Self - Nominee

1985

 

The 53rd Annual Academy Awards (1981)

The 53rd Annual Academy Awards

6.5

TV Special

Self - Winner

1981

 

Sissy Spacek in The 38th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1981)

The 38th Annual Golden Globe Awards

6.9

TV Special

Self - Accepting Award

1981