RIP Gray Frederickson

 

Oscar-winning Oklahoma filmmaker Gray Frederickson dies

 

Oklahoman

Brandy McDonnell

November 20, 2022

 

Academy Award-winning Oklahoma City filmmaker Gray Frederickson has died at the age of 85.

An Oscar-winning producer whose projects ranged from Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" trilogy, "Apocalypse Now" and the Oklahoma-made "The Outsiders" to documentaries like the Emmy-winning "Dream No Little Dream: The Life and Legacy of Robert S. Kerr" and his recent project "Sherwood Forest," Frederickson mentored thousands of aspiring actors, filmmakers and crew members over his six decades in the movie business.

"He is the godfather of Oklahoma film — absolute pun intended," Rachel Cannon, co-founder and co-CEO of Oklahoma City's Prairie Surf Media, told The Oklahoman in a 2021 interview.

"He literally was the foundation of the film industry here."

Future Oscar winner started his film career in Italy

Born and raised in Oklahoma City, the closest Frederickson got to a movie career as a youth was working as an usher at the Lakeside Theater in the 1950s.

An alumnus of Casady School and the University of Oklahoma, Frederickson also attended the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.

From there, he moved to Rome, where he launched his film career as producer of 1963’s “Nakita.” That led to more opportunities, such as joining

Italian director Sergio Leone’s “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” as production manager. Frederickson forged a lasting friendship with that film’s star, Clint Eastwood.

Frederickson moved his burgeoning career to Hollywood, and he made a key connection with fellow producer Albert S. Ruddy on the 1970 Robert Redford vehicle “Little Fauss and Big Halsy.” Two years later, he and Ruddy worked with studio legend Robert Evans to produce Coppola’s “The Godfather.”

Producer forged a lasting bond with Francis Ford Coppola

Along with winning three Academy Awards, "The Godfather" launched a 50-year relationship between Coppola and Frederickson. The Oklahoma City native won the best picture Oscar in 1975 for "The Godfather: Part II" — the first sequel in Oscars history to win the top award — and garnered a best picture nomination in 1980 for his work on "Apocalypse Now.”

FREDERICKSON, Gray

Born: 7/21/1937, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.A.

Died: 11/20/2022, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.A.

 

Gray Frederickson’s westerns – producer, production manager, writer:

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – 1966 [production manager]

Bad Girls – 1994 [writer]

South of Heaven, West of Hell – 2000 [producer]