Stanley R. Jaffe, the Oscar-winning producer of 1980’s “Kramer vs. Kramer,” died on Monday in Rancho Mirage, California, at 84.
Jaffe, son of Columbia Pictures executive Leo Jaffe, worked on several iconic films, including “Fatal Attraction,” “The Accused,” “Goodbye, Columbus,” and “The Bad News Bears.” His work in the 1980s also included notable titles such as “Taps,” “Racing With the Moon,” and “Black Rain,” according to Variety.
Jaffe, who co-founded Jaffe-Lansing Productions with Sherry Lansing, earned an Academy Award nomination for producing “Fatal Attraction” in 1987.
Jaffe, born in New York, began his career at Seven Arts Associates before moving to CBS. He produced the bold 1969 adaptation of Philip Roth’s “Goodbye, Columbus” for Paramount, later joining the studio as executive VP and chief operations officer.
Jaffe was quickly promoted to president of Paramount, though he only held the position for a year before leaving to pursue a career as an independent producer. His production company, Jaffilms, was behind films like “The Bad News Bears” and “Bad Company” before he joined Columbia Pictures as executive VP of worldwide productions.
Jaffe would return to independent production, gaining success with the Oscar-winning “Kramer vs. Kramer,” which won five Academy Awards.
“I grew up in a home that’s been associated with this business for 51 years. This [Oscar] has always been very important to all of us as a representation of excellence,” Jaffe said in his acceptance speech, calling Kramer vs. Kramer “a film that’s made with love, and it’s made about love,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
After partnering with Lansing for several years, Jaffe rejoined Paramount as chairman of Paramount Communications, where he managed divisions such as 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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