Stanley R. Jaffe, who won an Oscar as producer of “Kramer vs. Kramer” in 1980 and served in top positions at several studios, died Monday in Rancho Mirage. He was 84.
Jaffe, the son of Columbia Pictures executive Leo Jaffe, also shepherded major productions including “Fatal Attraction,” “The Accused,” “Goodbye, Columbus” and “The Bad News Bears.” Among his other credits were notable films of the 1980s such as “Taps,” “Racing With the Moon” and “Black Rain.”
While partnered with Sherry Lansing at Jaffe-Lansing Productions, he received an Oscar nomination for 1987’s “Fatal Attraction.”
Born in New York, Jaffe started out in the business at Seven Arts Associates, then joined CBS. He produced the audacious 1969 Philip Roth adaptation “Goodbye, Columbus” for Paramount, then joined the studio as executive VP and chief operations officer. He was soon named president of Paramount, staying for just a year before leaving to become an independent producer. His company Jaffilms made “The Bad News Bears” and “Bad Company” before he joined Columbia Pictures as executive VP of worldwide productions.
He soon returned to independent production, scoring with the Oscar win for “Kramer vs. Kramer,” which won a total of five Oscars.
He partnered with Lansing for several years, then rejoined Paramount as chairman of Paramount Communications, overseeing divisions including Simon & Schuster and Paramount Parks.
He is survived by his wife Melinda, children Bobby, Betsy, Alex and Kate, five grandchildren, a sister and a brother. His sister, publicist Andrea Jaffe, died in 2016.
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