Fred Roos passed away at 89 on May 18 in Beverly Hills.
Roos was an exceptional casting director and producer best known for landmark films like The Godfather, Apocalypse Now and more. Starting out as a television casting director, Roos paved his way into the industry as a poignant producer. Take a look at his life and legacy!
Who was Fred Roos?
Roos was a casting director on remarkable films like American Graffiti. He has had a longstanding partnership with director Francis Ford Coppola and has produced or co-produced various projects, including the Oscar-winning film The Godfather II.
The Godfather producer who once played a young Sofia Coppola (Ford’s daughter) later produced her films The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, The Bling Ring and Marie Antoinette. He was also an executive producer on Priscilla, which was based on King of Rock Elvis Presley’s wife.
Most recently, he was the executive producer and casting director on Megalopolis, which premiered at Cannes in 2024 last week. Last year, Ford Coppola shared a picture of Roos with Adam Driver and thanked him for his contribution.
How did Roos’s career kickstart?
Roos was born in Santa Monica and attended the UCLA film school. While serving in the army in Korea, he became friends with Garry Marshall and secured a job at MCA. He started out as a casting director for television, followed by films like Zabriskie Point, Fat City, Petulia, and Five Easy Pieces.
Although he was uncredited, Roos was part of the first Star Wars film as a casting consultant and insisted on casting Harrison Ford as Han Solo after working with him on American Graffiti. His instincts were on point, and Ford was the perfect casting for the legendary Star Wars character!
People working behind the camera influence the film’s inner workings more. Roos played a crucial role in getting A-list celebrities like Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Carrie Fisher, and Richard Dreyfuss their breakout roles.
