Ronald Louis Schwary (May 23, 1944 – July 2, 2020) was an Academy Award winning American producer and director. Films that he was either producer or executive producer include Ordinary People for which he won an Academy Award for Best Picture, Havana, Scent of a Woman, Sabrina, Meet Joe Black and Random Hearts.

He also worked as a producer alongside Sidney Pollack in Absence of Malice and in Tootsie, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture in 1983. He received another Academy Award for Best Picture nomination for A Soldier's Story in 1985 as well.

Schwary did not receive a Best Picture nomination for Scent of a Woman in 1992, which was both nominated for Oscars and Golden Globes for best picture, since he was the executive producer and the academy only recognized those credited solely as producers.

Schwary was also the producer of the Rolling Stones documentary Lets Spend the Night Together in 1982. Schwary served as an executive producer on the Barbra Streisand directed film The Mirror Has Two Faces. From 2005 to 2011 he produced the Medium TV series.

Personal life Schwary was born in The Dalles, Oregon, the son of Mitchell Schwary (1903- 1986) who was a real estate broker and Lorraine Ablan. Schwary was of Lebanese descent and both his paternal and maternal grandparents were born in Lebanon.Schwary's paternal grandmother Sophia Schwary Fliofel (1865-1955) was born in Zahle, Lebanon as can be seen in her death certificate in 1955 His paternal grandfather Louis M. Schwary was from Beirut, Lebanon and his uncle was born there as well.

His maternal grandfather Abraham J Ablan was from Batroun, Lebanon and his maternal grandmother Nezzera Zlaket and granduncle Kalil Zlaket were from Zahle, Lebanon. Marriage certificate of Ronald Schwary's parents in 1940. Information from the National Archives, United States. Scans of official acts of Ronald L. Schwary paternal and maternal grandparents on familysearch.org. He attended the University of Oregon but transferred to the University of Southern California where he graduated in 1967. At USC, Schwary became friends with actor John Wayne who was a USC alumni who got him a job as a stand-in for Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate. Schwary worked as an assistant director in the 1970s and later as a production manager.

He was married to Emmy-nominated hairstylist Susan Carol Schwary from 1971 to 1994. Both of their sons, Brian and Neil Schwary, work in the film industry. Schwary was married to Karen Feldman from 2009 to 2014.

Schwary died on July 2, 2020, from a rare neurological disease.

Filmography He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film Year Film Credit Notes 1976 Shadow of the Hawk Associate producer 1978 California Suite Associate producer 1979 The Electric Horseman Associate producer 1980 Ordinary People 1981 Absence of Malice Executive producer 1982 Tootsie 1984 A Soldier's Story 1987 Batteries Not Included 1990 Havana Executive producer 1992 Scent of a Woman Executive producer 1994 Cops & Robbersons 1995 Sabrina Executive producer 1996 The Mirror Has Two Faces Co-executive producer 1998 Meet Joe Black Executive producer 1999 Random Hearts Executive producer Final film as a producer

Second unit director or assistant director

Year Film Role 1973 Save the Tiger Second assistant director 1974 Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry Assistant director 1975 Breakout Breakheart Pass First assistant director 1976 Shadow of the Hawk Assistant director St. Ives 1978 Casey's Shadow

Production manager

Year Film Role Notes 1977 Close Encounters of the Third Kind Unit production manager: Additional scenes - 1980 special version 1978 The Cheap Detective Unit production manager California Suite Production manager 1979 The Electric Horseman 1980 Ordinary People Unit production manager 1981 Absence of Malice Production manager 1995 Sabrina

As an actor

Year Film Role Notes 1968 Planet of the Apes Frightened Human 1974 The Ultimate Thrill Danny 1978 Casey's Shadow Ticket Seller The Cheap Detective Cab Driver 1982 Tootsie Phil Weintraub 1987 Batteries Not Included Louie 1994 Cops & Robbersons Producer 1995 Sabrina Sheik

Miscellaneous crew

Year Film Role Notes 1967 The Graduate Dustin Hoffman's stand-in

Television Year Title Credit Notes 1987−88 Tour of Duty 1991 The Brotherhood Executive producer Television film 1999−2000 Now and Again Executive producer 2001 Fling Executive producer 2002 Jo Executive producer Television film 2003 Partners and Crime Executive producer Television film 2008 The Meant to Be's Executive producer Television film 2005−11 Medium Executive producer

Second unit director or assistant director

Year Title Role Notes 1971 Hawaii Five-O Second assistant director 1973 Kung Fu Assistant director The Blue Knight Television film 1974 The Stranger Who Looks Like Me 1975 Barnaby Jones Movin' On The Entertainer First assistant director Television film 1976 Spencer's Pilots Assistant director 1977 In the Glitter Palace Television film 1987−88 Tour of Duty Second unit director

As director

Year Title 1988 Tour of Duty 1996 Sisters 2000 Now and Again 2005−09 Medium

Production manager

Year Title Role Notes 1977 In the Glitter Palace Unit production manager Television film 1991 The Brotherhood Production manager Television film

Thanks

Year Title Role Notes 2021 93rd Academy Awards In memoriam Television special

References

External links