Richard L. O’Connor, an Emmy-winning producer who served as an executive in charge of production on films including On Golden Pond, The Muppet Movie and Across 110th Street, has died. He was 96.
O’Connor died July 22 in Palm Desert, his family announced.
He received his Emmy for outstanding children’s program in 1990 for producing the NBC telefilm A Mother’s Courage: The Mary Thomas Story, starring Alfre Woodard.
O’Connor also was an executive in charge of production on Hickey & Boggs (1972), Stanley Donen’s Movie, Movie (1978), Borderline (1980), Raise the Titanic (1980), Hard Country (1981) and Barbarosa (1982), among other films and TV projects.
Richard Lynn O’Connor was born in San Francisco on Jan. 7, 1930, with his twin brother, Don. The family moved to the Mendocino coast after their mother, Doris, accepted a teaching position while their father, Lester, remained in Richmond, California, where he worked for the Standard Oil Co. Their home doubled as the local schoolhouse, with a wall separating the classroom from their living quarters.
The twins graduated from high school in Richmond, then served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War from 1950-51.
O’Connor started out in the mailroom at CBS Television City in Los Angeles and began overseeing business logistics for films and television in the early 1970s.
He also was a producer on Distant Thunder (1988); on such miniseries as Fatal Vision (good for another Emmy nomination), A Death in California, Tom Clancy’s OP Center and Amerika; and on telefilms including 1991’s Wild Texas Wind, starring Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson.
After his retirement, he lived for more than 20 years in Caspar, California.
Survivors include his fourth wife, Brona; daughters Kathleen, Triglia and Karen; stepchildren Kate, Marc and Matt; grandchildren Rachael, Kayleigh, Seth and Joshua; great-grandchildren Jessica and Carter; and great-great-granddaughter Bayleigh.
A funeral mass will take place at 1 p.m. on Aug. 8 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Mendocino. Donations in his memory can be made to the Motion Picture & Television Fund or the Marine Corps League Foundation.
