Stanley R. Jaffe: A Hollywood Visionary Remembered
Early Life and Entry into Hollywood
Stanley R. Jaffe, the former president of Paramount Pictures and an Academy Award-winning producer, passed away on Monday at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, at the age of 84. His daughter, Betsy Jaffe, confirmed his death. Jaffe’s life was a testament to his passionate pursuit of storytelling, which took him from the boardrooms of Hollywood to the silver screen, leaving an indelible mark on the film industry.
Born on July 31, 1940, in the Bronx, New York, Jaffe grew up in New Rochelle. His father, Leo Jaffe, was the chairman of Columbia Pictures, exposing Stanley to the world of cinema from a young age, though not in the way one might expect. The Jaffe household wasn’t frequented by Hollywood stars; instead, Stanley’s introduction to films came through weekend movie screenings at home. This quiet exposure sparked his interest in storytelling. After studying economics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Jaffe forayed into the film industry, joining the production company Seven Arts in Los Angeles in 1962.
A Meteoric Rise in Hollywood
Jaffe’s career was nothing short of meteoric. He made his mark early, producing the film adaptation of Philip Roth’s novella Goodbye, Columbus in 1969. The film was a risky venture; Jaffe had borrowed much of the money, and Roth was not yet a household name. Moreover, he cast an unknown Ali MacGraw in the female lead. Despite these challenges, the film’s success catapulted Jaffe to the role of executive vice president at Paramount in 1969. Just nine months later, at the age of 29, he became the youngest studio head in Hollywood, a position he assumed just shy of his 30th birthday.
During his tenure at Paramount, Jaffe proved himself to be a shrewd and visionary leader. He oversaw the production of marquee films like Love Story (1970) and The Godfather (1972), which became cultural phenomena. However, Jaffe’s time at Paramount was short-lived. By his own admission, he felt stifled by the constraints of corporate life. In a 1983 interview with The New York Times, he remarked, “I wanted out.” This restlessness led him to leave Paramount and return to producing, a decision that would define the next chapter of his career.
A Legacy of Powerful Storytelling
Jaffe’s return to producing was marked by a series of films that showcased his ability to balance critical acclaim with commercial success. One of his most notable achievements was the 1979 film Kramer vs. Kramer, a searing divorce drama based on Avery Corman’s novel of the same name. Jaffe’s hands-on approach to production was evident in every aspect of the film. He persuaded a reluctant Dustin Hoffman to play the lead role of Ted Kramer and cast a relatively unknown Meryl Streep as Joanna Kramer. The film went on to win five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Hoffman, Best Supporting Actress for Streep, and Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for Robert Benton. The success of Kramer vs. Kramer solidified Jaffe’s reputation as a producer who could transform complex, emotionally charged stories into cinematic masterpieces.
Jaffe’s other notable works include The Bad News Bears (1976), a heartwarming comedy about a youth baseball team coached by Walter Matthau, and Taps (1981), a military academy drama that launched the careers of Tom Cruise, Sean Penn, and Giancarlo Esposito. In 1983, Jaffe stepped behind the camera to direct Without a Trace, a drama about the disappearance of a young boy in New York, based on a book inspired by the real-life case of Etan Patz. The film’s focus on the emotional toll of the boy’s disappearance on his family underscored a recurring theme in Jaffe’s work: the exploration of family dynamics and the pressures families face from the outside world.
A Passion for Family and Film
Jaffe’s commitment to storytelling was deeply personal. He once told The New York Times, “I’m attracted to stories that deal with the family and what it’s like to be a member of that family, whether it’s together or apart, given the pressures that are put on it by the outside world.” This statement encapsulated not only his professional ethos but also his own approach to life. Jaffe’s personal life was marked by both triumphs and challenges. He was married twice, first to a woman with whom he had two children, Betsy and Bobby, and later to Melinda Long, with whom he had two more children, Alex and Katie. Despite his professional successes, Jaffe was known to be deeply affected by the failures of his films. As he confessed to The Christian Science Monitor in 1982, “I’m very vulnerable to a picture not working because it’s something I really care about. It’s not just 12 reels or two pounds of film. It’s something I believed in.”
Later Years and Reflections
In the 1980s, Jaffe co-founded Jaffe-Lansing Productions with producer Sherry Lansing, which produced a string of successful films, including Fatal Attraction (1987), The Accused (1988), and Black Rain (1989). These films showcased Jaffe’s ability to tackle complex, often controversial subjects with sensitivity and nuance. Later, he returned to Paramount in 1992 as president and chief operating officer of Paramount Communications, where he oversaw not only the film division but also other properties, including Simon & Schuster, Paramount theme parks, and the New York Knicks and Rangers sports teams. Jaffe’s love for sports was evident in his role managing Paramount’s sports properties, and he counted the New York Rangers’ 1994 Stanley Cup victory as one of the highlights of his career.
Despite his many achievements, Jaffe’s later years were not without challenges. He was ousted from Paramount in 1994 after Viacom acquired the company. He later sued Viacom for blocking his ability to exercise up to $20 million in stock options, but the case was dismissed in 1995. Undeterred, Jaffe continued to produce films, including I Dreamed of Africa (2000) and The Four Feathers (2002). These films, while not as commercially successful as some of his earlier works, reflected his enduring passion for storytelling.
A Lasting Legacy
Stanley R. Jaffe’s life was a testament to his boundless energy, his creative vision, and his unwavering commitment to storytelling. As a producer and executive, he played a pivotal role in shaping some of Hollywood’s most iconic films. His ability to balance commercial success with artistic integrity earned him the respect of his peers and the adoration of audiences. Yet, Jaffe’s legacy extends beyond the films he produced; it lies in the stories he chose to tell, stories that explored the complexities of family, love, and the human condition. As he once said, “It’s not just 12 reels or two pounds of film. It’s something I believed in.” That belief, that passion, will continue to resonate through the films he left behind, ensuring that Stanley R. Jaffe’s legacy endures for generations to come.
