Herman Raucher, whose Oscar-nominated Summer time of ’42 screenplay turned considered one of Hollywood’s best-loved coming-of-age tales, has died of pure causes at Stamford Hospital in Stamford, CT. He was 95.
His December 28 loss of life was introduced by daughter Jenny Raucher, who was by his facet when he handed.
Subsequently tailored by Raucher into a world best-selling novel, 1971’s Summer time of ’42 was nominated for 4 Academy Awards together with Greatest Unique Screenplay. It instructed the nostalgic and bittersweet story of teenager Hermie — performed by Gary Grimes and based mostly on Raucher himself — who, throughout a summertime trip on Nantucket Island, turns into infatuated with a good looking (and shortly grieving) older lady (Jennifer O’Neill) whose husband has gone off to struggle in World Warfare II.
The movie, directed by Robert Mulligan (To Kill a Mockingbird), was a important success and a serious hit for Warner Bros. Michel Legrand’s rating received an Oscar and rapidly turned probably the most recognizable film themes of the last decade.
Born on April 13, 1928, in Brooklyn, Raucher obtained his begin in present enterprise writing for such Golden Age TV dramas as Studio One, Goodyear Playhouse and The Alcoa Hour. On the identical time, he served as Promoting Copy Director for Walt Disney, whose new firm, Buena Vista, was increasing from animated movies into live-action productions. Raucher continued as Artistic Director and board member of a number of main New York promoting companies earlier than leaving the advert world to deal with his personal writing.
Previous to Summer time of ’42, Raucher wrote the screenplay for the 1969 cult movie Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Neglect Mercy Humppe and Discover True Happiness?, co-written by and starring Anthony Newley, who the earlier yr had co-starred with Sandy Dennis in Raucher’s Candy November.
In 1970, Raucher wrote the screenplay for the groundbreaking movie Watermelon Man, a racially-charged satire a couple of racist white man who wakes up one morning to find he has change into a Black man. The movie was directed by Melvin Van Peebles and starred Godfrey Cambridge within the lead function, with Estelle Parsons, who had not too long ago received an Oscar for her supporting efficiency in Bonnie and Clyde, co-starring.
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Raucher went on to pen screenplays for different in style movies – Ode To Billy Joe in 1976, The Different Aspect of Midnight in 1977 and, in an uncredited, script-doctoring function, 1979’s The Nice Santini – however Summer time of ’42 would stay his signature work. The unique screenplay got here from a heartbreaking supply: the loss of life within the Korean Warfare of his greatest pal Oscy Seltzer, who turned a central character in each the film and novel (performed by Jerry Houser within the movie).
Seltzer was killed on April 13, 1952, an occasion that, based on Raucher’s daughter Jenny, left Raucher with a lifelong problem celebrating his personal birthday.
Raucher wrote a sequel to the movie in 1973 – Class of ’44, reuniting Grime, Houser and Oliver Conant from the unique – nevertheless it didn’t recapture the primary movie’s success, both critically or commercially. The sequel is maybe most famous in the present day for a quick, uncredited look by a youthful John Sweet.
Amongst these counted as followers of each films is Quentin Tarantino, who final yr stated on a podcast, “I believe Summer time of ’42 is definitely among the finest films of the ’70s and probably the most devastating endings of any film I’ve ever seen. It’s only a nice film. I’m an enormous fan of the sequel, too, The Class of ’44.“
Regardless of his movie and stage endeavors – Summer time of ’42 was tailored as an Off Broadway musical in 2001 – Raucher, based on his household, “felt most at dwelling with novels—the one medium wherein nobody may change as a lot as a comma with out his approval—a situation to which each and every author aspires however only a few obtain.” Along with the best-selling Summer time of ’42, Raucher’s books embrace A Glimpse of Tiger, There Ought to Have Been Castles and Maynard’s Home. In recent times, the novels have been re-issued, together with new overseas editions and audiobooks.
Raucher was predeceased by his spouse of 42 years Mary Kathryn Raucher, a scholar of the Faculty of American Ballet with George Balanchine and likewise a dancer on Broadway, who died in 2002. Along with Jenny Raucher, he’s survived by daughter Jacqueline Raucher-Salkin, her husband William Salkin, and granddaughters Samantha Salkin and Jamie Salkin.
In lieu of flowers, the household requests donations in Herman Raucher’s identify to the Michael J. Fox Basis at give.michaeljfox.org.
