Veteran Hollywood film producer Daniel Selznick dies at 88

Film producer Daniel Selznick died of natural causes at his retirement home Thursday, according to an obituary provided to USA TODAY by the Motion Picture & Television Fund. He was 88.

Born on May, 18, 1936 in Los Angeles, Selznick was the younger son of iconic film producer David O. Selznick and legendary theatrical producer Irene Mayer Selznick. Selznick was the grandson of Louis B. Mayer and his first wife Margaret Shenberg Mayer, the obituary said.

Selznick died at the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills, California.

According to the obituary, Selznick grew up in Beverly Hills. He graduated from the George School and Harvard University and attended the University of Geneva and completed graduate work at Brandeis University. 

Like the rest of his family, Selznick got into the entertainment industry and served as a production executive at Universal Studios for four years before producing the Peabody award-winning documentary "The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind" in 1988. Selznick produced the film with his older brother Jeffrey.

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Some might say the Selznick brothers had the entertainment industry in their blood. When the boys were young, Jeffrey, 6 at the time, and Daniel, 3, their father made “Gone with the Wind.”

Selznick also produced the television mini-series ''Blood Feud'' and ''Hoover vs. the Kennedys,'' among others. For many years he served as the director of the Louis B. Mayer Foundation.

Selznick’s impact on the entertainment industry

Before Selznick started producing films, he was dedicated to creating a space for those who wanted to get involved in performing arts.

In 1967, Selznick oversaw the construction of the Louis B. Mayer theater on the Santa Clara University campus. In 2017, he revisited the remodeled complex and gave a speech, the organization said.

Selznick remembered as intelligent and sweet

The obituary said that “residents and staff of the Motion Picture & Television Fund will remember him for his intelligence, charm, sweetness, and generosity.”

It also shared that during his time at the Motion Picture Country Home, he wrote a memoir titled the “Walking with Kings,” which will be published next year by Alfred Knopf. The book will recount the detail of the producer’s memories of growing up as a "young prince of Hollywood."

Although Selznick was married three times, he has not left behind any family immediate members. To honor his memory, fans are encouraged to send donations to the Motion Picture & Television Fund at mptf.com/donate.

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfineest.