Jerry Weintraub, who produced the Karate Kid films and the Ocean’s Eleven series, reportedly passed away Monday at the age of 77 due to heart failure.
Early in his career in the entertainment industry, Weintraub worked as a promoter for many musical acts, such as John Denver, Frank Sinatra, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, and the Pointer Sisters.
Weintraub eventually went on to become a Hollywood producer. His credits include Nashville, National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation, Diner, Oh, God!, Cruising, and September 30, 1955.
Weintraub is also a three-time Emmy award winner. He won two for HBO’s Behind the Candelabra in 2013 and one for the documentary Years of Living Dangerously in 2014.
His most recent project was executive producing the HBO series The Brink. He also had been working on the upcoming 2016 film Tarzan starring Alexander Skarsgård and Margot Robbie.
George Clooney, who worked with Weintraub on the Ocean’s Eleven films, released a statement:
“In the coming days there will be tributes, about our friend Jerry Weintraub. We’ll laugh at his great stories, and applaud his accomplishments. And in the years to come the stories and accomplishments will get better with age, just as Jerry would have wanted it. But not today. Today our friend died. To his family and friends, Amal and I send our love. And to those who didn’t know him we send our deepest sympathy. You would have loved him.”
Ralph Macchio, star of the Karate Kid, paid tribute to him on Twitter:
So sad at loss of Jerry Weintraub, you were 1 of a kind, my friend. Last of a breed. So glad I got to be “that kid” pic.twitter.com/ebN7p8ptUL
— Ralph Macchio (@ralphmacchio) July 6, 2015
