Richard L. O'Connor, an Emmy-winning television producer and studio executive who oversaw production on films including On Golden Pond and The Muppet Movie, died July 22 in Palm Desert. He was 96.
His family announced his death; no cause was given.
O'Connor's career spanned decades as an executive in charge of production, a role that put him at the center of major film projects. Along with On Golden Pond and The Muppet Movie, his credits included Raise The Titanic and Across 110th Street.
He also earned an Emmy for his work in television, though the specific program was not noted in the reports.
O'Connor had been a longtime resident of the desert community, according to the announcement. Further details about his life and survivors were not immediately available.
His work on On Golden Pond, the 1981 drama starring Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn, and on The Muppet Movie, the 1979 feature that brought Jim Henson's characters to the big screen, made him a familiar name among film crews and industry colleagues.
Tributes and remembrances are expected from colleagues who worked with him during his years as a production executive.
O'Connor's death marks the loss of a veteran behind-the-scenes figure in Hollywood, one whose contributions helped bring some of the most beloved films of the late 20th century to audiences.