Samuel Goldwyn Jr. Dies: Hollywood Giant's Son Was 88

Samuel Goldwyn Jr., son of one of the founding fathers of Hollywood cinema and in his own right a champion of the independent film movement, has died at age 88.

The Associated Press reported Goldwyn's son, Peter, as telling the Los Angeles Times his father died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center from congestive heart failure.

Goldwyn produced low-budget hits like "Mystic Pizza" starring Julia Roberts and "Cotton Comes to Harlem" in the 1970s and 1980s. His company was one of the largest indie film operations. As a producer, he was nominated for a best picture Academy Award in 2004 for "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World." His final production credit was for "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" in 2013.

Goldwyn's father was one of the founders of Paramount Studios and his production company became part of one Hollywood's largest studios, MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). The Hollywood dynasty extends to the third generation: Goldwyn's son John was vice chairman of Paramount Pictures, and another son, actor Tony Goldwyn, stars in the ABC drama "Scandal."

In 1986, Goldwyn told the Times his goal was to appeal to sophisticated movie lovers.

"I was brought up in a tradition of patience," Goldwyn said. "My father never made films that were instantaneous hits. 'Wuthering Heights' was not a success the first time around. Neither was 'Best Years of Our Lives.' They had to be nursed .... Basically, he was always waiting."


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