Oscar-winning producer Alan Ladd Jr dies at 84

New York: Alan Ladd Jr, the Oscar-winning producer and studio boss who, as a '20th Century Fox' executive, greenlit 'Star Wars', has died. He was 84.

Ladd died on March 2, his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones, who directed the documentary 'Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies', wrote in a 'Facebook' post. No cause of death was given.

Ladd Jr, the son of 'Shane' star Alan Ladd, started in the film business as his father's stuntman but rose to become one of its leading and most widely liked executives.

As studio head at 'Fox' and 'MGM' (twice), Ladd, affectionately known as Laddie, was involved in some 14 best-picture nominees, including 'Young Frankenstein' (1974), 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' (1975), 'Chariots of Fire' (1981) and 'Blade Runner' (1982).

As an independent producer, Ladd Jr helped steer films including 'Once Upon a Time in America' (1984), 'The Right Stuff' (1983) 'Gone, Baby Gone' (2007) and

Mel Gibson's 'Braveheart' (1995), for which he won best picture.

All told, films Ladd produced or greenlit movies that won more than 50 Oscars and 150 nominations.