Fred Roos
Roos in 2014
Born	Frederick Ried Roos (1934-05-22)May 22, 1934 Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Died	May 18, 2024(2024-05-18) (aged 89) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Occupations	Film producer, casting director
Years active	1964–2024

Frederick Ried Roos (May 22, 1934 – May 18, 2024) was an American film producer andcasting director. He was best known for his contributions to theNew Hollywood movement, particularly through his collaborations with directorFrancis Ford Coppola. He won theAcademy Award for Best Picture forThe Godfather: Part II (1974), with further nominations forThe Conversation (1974) andApocalypse Now (1979).^[1]

Frederick Ried Roos was born on May 22, 1934, inSanta Monica, California, the son of Florence Mary (née Stout) and Victor Otto Roos.^[2] He attendedHollywood High School and subsequently attendedUniversity of California, Los Angeles, majoring in theatre arts and motion pictures.^[3][4]

He served two tours in theUnited States Army, stationed inSouth Korea, where he befriended future producer/directorGarry Marshall.^[5]

Following his exit from the military, Roos started his career in the entertainment industry with talent agencyMCA Inc., where he performed a series of odd jobs, including serving as driver toMarilyn Monroe, before being promoted to junior agent^[5][6] He began his career as a casting director for television, working onThe Andy Griffith Show,That Girl, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., and I Spy.^[7] In 1964, he produced and cast his first film,Fight to Fury, featuring a youngJack Nicholson in one of his first roles.

Building a career as a casting director throughout the 1960s into the early 1970s, Roos gained a reputation as "the best eye for talent in the business", being responsible for the casting ofAl Pacino inThe Godfather,Harrison Ford andRichard Dreyfuss inAmerican Graffiti, Ford and Carrie Fisher inStar Wars, andTom Cruise,Matt Dillon,Rob Lowe andPatrick Swayze inThe Outsiders, among many others.^[5][8]

Further credits as casting director includedFive Easy Pieces,Fat City,Petulia, andZabriskie Point.^[8]

Roos' professional relationship withFrancis Ford Coppola began withThe Godfather, for which Roos served as casting director. Roos became Coppola's producing partner on his subsequent film,The Conversation, and continued to produce Coppola's films throughout the remainder of his career, includingThe Godfather Part II,Apocalypse Now,The Outsiders,Rumble Fish,The Cotton Club, andThe Godfather Part III.

Roos' other producing credits includedThe Black Stallion,Hammett,Barfly,The Secret Garden,Radioland Murders,The Virgin Suicides, andTown & Country.

Roos won theAcademy Award for Best Picture forThe Godfather Part II, and was further nominated for producingThe Conversation andApocalypse Now.

In 1988, Roos received the Lifetime Achievement Award from theCasting Society of America.^[8]

In 2007, he was a member of the jury at the29th Moscow International Film Festival.^[9]

Roos married Nancy Drew in 1986.^[10] They had one son, Alexander "Sandy" Roos, who later became Roos' producing partner.^[11]

Roos died inBeverly Hills, California, on May 18, 2024, four days shy of his 90th birthday.^[12][13] His final film,Megalopolis, held its world premiere two days prior at the2024 Cannes Film Festival.^[7]

• Fred Roos atIMDb
• Fred Roos discography atDiscogs

• 1934 births
• 2024 deaths
• Film people from Santa Monica, California
• Film producers from California
• Producers who won the Best Picture Academy Award
• Hollywood High School alumni
• University of California, Los Angeles alumni

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles with hCards