Fred Roos, casting director who ‘jump-started’ the career of Jack Nicholson, has sadly died at the age of 89.
The star was a casting director, turned producer in Hollywood, who won an Oscar Award for best picture with Francis Ford Coppola for the movie The Godfather: Part II, and Apocalypse Now.
Fred Roos’ death at 89 after long career
The movie icon’s death has been confirmed by his publicist, with Fred Roos passing away at his home in Beverley Hills on Saturday.
Roos was the ‘brain’ in helping Francis Ford Coppola decide on Al Pacino and James Caan to play Michael and Sonny Corleone in the first Godfather movie in 1972, after Paramount executives had wanted other actors.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that Fred is one of the great casting talents in the last 40 years of American movies,” Francis said in a 2004 interview with the Chicago Tribune (via The Hollywood Reporter). “He suggested and brought me people I would never have met, such as the great John Cazale.”
Not only that, Roos ‘discovered’ Harrison Ford, who worked as his carpenter, pushing him for roles in George Lucas‘ American Graffiti (1973) and Star Wars (1977).
“I knew him really well,” Roos told Entertainment Weekly. “Not only was he an actor, he was a friend. And he was doing carpentry work for me, when he needed to make extra money. He had a family, he had kids…”
On getting Harrison to land the role of Hans Solo in Star Wars, Roos told the publication: “I was, from the get-go, pushing him for Han Solo.
He told director George Lucas: “‘George, you saw him right under your nose in American Graffiti,’ and finally it clicked with George. Other people were considered, but finally I won the day with George on that one.”
Tributes pour in for the star
As the sad news breaks, fans and colleagues in the industry have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to pay tributes to the star.
“R.I.P. Fred Roos, who spent the past 50 years working closely with the Coppola clan. He led a remarkable life and career. My heart goes out to Francis, who has now lost two people near and dear to him in the midst of his big comeback year,” wrote Jeff Sneider.
“Fred Roos is another major loss for the Coppola’s. The legendary casting director was an essential part of the Coppola filmmaking team and family,” penned editor Anne Thompson.
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