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Film producer and executive Steven Reuther has died at age 58. Reuther died yesterday afternoon at his Santa Monica home after a long illness. Reuther, who started off in the WMA mailroom in the late 1970s, went on to become a film executive at Galactic Films, where he helped develop 9 1/2 Weeks and at Vestron Pictures, where he executive produced Dirty Dancing. He then partnered with Arnon Milchan at New Regency films for 5 years where he developed Sidney Lumet’s Family Business, the Danny Devito/Michael Douglas picture War of the Roses, and Lumet’s Q and A. He went on to produce and executive produce more than 35 films in partnership with Milchan, and later Michael Douglas, including the 1990 worldwide smash Pretty Woman. 1998, Reuther created Bel Air Pictures; a co-venture with Warner Brothers Studios and Canal Plus land became Bel Air’s Chairman and CEO. There, he produced the film he was most proud of, Pay It Forward, and also shepherded Proof of Life, Sweet November, Rock Star and Collateral Damage. He most recently produced the 2009 romantic comedy The Ugly Truth. Reuther’s family is planning to establish a scholarship in his name at UCLA’s film school.
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i did not this man but he had good taste in projects
well done..x
many great movies that i will never forget. r.i.p..
A well-liked colleague at WMA during the “golden years” he emerged from Kamen’s office as a quietly effective agent and, exiting to produce, an always accessible and helpful, a producer with taste and honesty. Saddened by his loss.
RIP…Thanks for all the great films
RIP
He has left us too soon.
He was a great mentor and Friend. I will miss him very much.
A truly heart breaking loss of a wonderful, exuberant, exciting and professionally successful gentleman..God Rest Your Soul Forever…Tender sympathies to all your family. Sad to see you leave so soon…(Patty Collins) Trysh Acree
Thank you, Mr. Reuther, for taking the chance on two guys with light-hearted spec and turning in into a movie that made us proud.
You were a good guy.
Steve was a good man, kind, wise, with a full life behind him. He was one of the good guys. My thoughts and heart go out to his baby girl Danielle he will be missed.
Hey good job on Angels and Demons btw.
Steve had bought a dark love story at Vestron called 3000. It was a seamy twisted noir like tale about love for sale. I sent it to Julia who loved and wanted to do it. Though she wasn’t a star (Steel Magnolias was still in the can) she passed on many projects waiting for 3000 to go. We’d check in with Steve every couple of months and he kept promising. And then one day he called to say that Vestron was shutting down. Again, he promised he’d set it up and come back to Julia. Within a few weeks 3000 landed at Disney. And though I had to campaign for her to get that role, Steve, now one of the producers of the project, campaigned beside me. And when 3000 became PRETTY WOMAN, Steve and Julia and I sat in that first test screening laughing and amazed of what had become of that once dark twisted film.
He was a good friend who kept his word, a great man who passed too soon, and someone I will not forget.
Rest in Peace.
Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas
I loved working with him. It’s rare to have the development process be both so meticulous and so much fun.
We are but moving phantoms of death. RIP.
Several of his films conjure up wonderful memories of an unforgettable time period in my life. War of the Roses, 9 1/2 Weeks, Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman, Q&A.
Thank you, Mr. Reuther and R.I.P.
I’ve never posted a comment before — always thought it was a waste of time. But SDR was an exceptional guy, especially for this industry and certainly deserves the effort. I first met him across the table on a pic that went sideways and unfortunately turned ugly. Wasn’t my fault, but he certainly could have held a grudge. Not Reuther. We subsequently became friends and he delighted in watching me struggle with my newborn twin girls. I appreciated his wisdom and advice about child-rearing and he was very self-effacing about what he did right and what he did wrong. I think he was reliving his experience with his daughter through my ineptitude and he wanted me to avoid the mistakes he had made. He loved his daughter ferociously and would often tell me that photos I would send him of my girls made him misty remembering D at that age/life juncture. The town just lost a gentleman in the truest sense of the word and he will be missed. D, if there’s anything I can do, please don’t hesitate.
Steve was a great guy. I have the pleasure of calling him my friend. Even through his illness, he took time to be concerned over me and my issues. He had a great light about him and his smile will be forever in my heart.
I was one of the executives at Disney/Touchstone responsible for Pretty Woman. Steve and I were sitting alone in a small room. discussing the script. Directly behind Steve was a poster for Dirty Dancing. He boasted a little about the success of the movie. I asked him how he spelled his last name. “R-E-U-T-H-E-R,” he replied, then wondered why I asked. Pointing to the poster, I said “Damn, they misspelled your name.” I’ve never seen someone’s head whip around that fast. The thought of thousands of one-sheets dispersed throughout the world with his last name misspelled invoked sheer terror. But realizing his name was not butchered, and that I was just joking, he burst out laughing – so hard, tears came to his eyes. A shared moment that sticks with me to this day.
Steve was a good sport. Could laugh at himself.
Sorry to see he has passed so young. Condolences to his loved ones.
Matt Tabak
Thank you Steve for your friendship & all the great work you did in the industry. Say hi to Bobby Littman when you get there…And make sure you go to a “meeting’ with Littman!
Steve was a gentleman. With a kind heart and a generous spirit he will be missed. Thank you, Steve for believing. Thank you for caring.
Steve was the first entertainment bigshot I interacted with when I started out in the biz. He was always gracious and inclusive, even to the lowest on the totem pole. Sorry to hear about his passing.
Steve was one of the good guys.
I was in shock when I read Steve’s Passing this morning. Being the UPM on Pretty Woman I got to know him pretty well. I am saddened by his death. Like everyone else who has commented Steve was a real good guy and I know he will be missed by all of us.
My fondest memories of Steve are at his amazing house in Sun Valley. Steve had my family and I up to visit several times. During those trips, Steve took us to the shooting range, fly fishing, horseback riding, atving and was the most gracious host imaginable. Although I’ve made movies with Steve, it was during those trips that his kindness, generosity and beautiful spirit shined most brightly.
I miss you already my friend,
Todd Garner
I agree with Todd, A True Class Act!
Steven Reuther was 100% class, generous, gracious, a loving father and a friend. His body of work will continue to entertain. Thank you Steven for being my friend, you are already missed.
Has there been any news on the funeral service?
Steve had a wicked sense of humour and a big heart and I’m grateful for the years spent working with him at Bel Air. He was indeed an amazing Producer, but what comes to mind first, is how much he adored being a daddy to Danielle and the joy she would bring him whenever she came to the offices. My thoughts and prayers are with his entire family.
Steve bought my first Studio project– a little unpublished book which I had optioned the rights to called “PAY IT FORWARD.”
Steve brought me in as the Executive Producer and he tirelessly shepherded the film through development! He was gracious, kind and inclusive. I will miss his generosity and could never thank him enough for jump-starting my career.
While the film didn’t light up the box office, not a week goes by where “Pay it Forward” isn’t mentioned in the press, on TV and in the numerous letters & emails I continue to receive from schools, churches, synagogues and individuals sharing the many ways people are “paying it forward” around the world!
Through Steve’s tenacity to get “Pay It Forward” made, we can all be proud that in some small way the film has made a difference in people’s lives.
My best to Steve’s family, he will greatly missed!
- Jonathan Treisman
Got the pleasure to know Steve at the height of the DIRTY DANCING release, while we both worked at Vestron. Even when he was credited as Executive Producer, we knew that he was the one pushing the project to the levels that it achieved. It is with much joy that I remember the day he came out of his office screaming of joy “because he has just made it” in Hollywood. The trigger for so obvious of a statement: MAD Magazine had just published a Dirty Dancing parody. He was always down to earth and self effacing, required by him, because he had always this air of arrogance (due to his style, more than his demeanor). One thing he always proved to be was having one of the keenest eye for what the public will like. Little is know that when Vestron crumbled down and the production division was dismantled, Steve got a good severance package, but he exchanged most of it for the rights to few films he was developing already, in between a bunch of not so worthy projects, there was this basic little story (not much of a concept film) that nobody thought much of it. The title of it… PRETTY WOMAN.
Hollywood has lost an incredible talent, we all have lost decent man.