Richard D. Zanuck Biography: Measurements, Salary, Nationality



Known for movies



Richard D. Zanuck (December 13, 1934 – July 13, 2012) was an American film producer. He began his career in the film industry as a child actor, appearing in several films in the 1930s. He later became a producer, and was responsible for such films as Jaws, The Sting, and The Verdict. He was also the father of actor and director Tim Zanuck.

Early Life

Richard D. Zanuck was born in Los Angeles, California, on December 13, 1934, the son of actress Darryl F. Zanuck and his wife, Louise (née Fessenden). His parents divorced when he was four years old, and he was raised by his mother. He had a half-sister, Virginia, from his father’s first marriage to Hazel Brooks.

Zanuck began his career in the film industry as a child actor, appearing in several films in the 1930s, including The Little Colonel (1935) and The Life of Emile Zola (1937). He later recalled that he had “a terrible time getting work” as an actor because of his father’s prominence in the industry.

Career

In 1955, Zanuck joined Twentieth Century-Fox as an assistant producer. He was soon promoted to associate producer, and then producer. He produced such films as The Sound of Music (1965), Planet of the Apes (1968), Patton (1970), The Sting (1973), and Jaws (1975). He was also the studio’s president from 1971 to 1988.

In 1989, Zanuck founded The Zanuck Company with his son, Tim. The company produced such films as Driving Miss Daisy (1989), Cocoon (1985), and The Verdict (1982).

Zanuck was married three times. His first wife was actress Virginia Fox, to whom he was married from 1954 to 1957. His second wife was Lili Fini Zanuck, with whom he had three children: Richard D. Zanuck Jr., Christopher D. Zanuck, and Dean Zanuck. His third wife was actress Linda Harrison, to whom he was married from 1969 to 1977.

Zanuck died on July 13, 2012, at the age of 77.

Net Worth

Richard D. Zanuck had a net worth of $20 million at the time of his death.

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia