Howard W. Koch

Howard W. Koch
Born	Howard Winchel Koch April 11, 1916(1916-04-11) New York City, New York, USA
Died	February 16, 2001(2001-02-16) (aged 84) Los Angeles, California, USA
Spouse	Ruth Koch (1937-2001)

Howard Winchel Koch (April 11, 1916 - February 16, 2001) was an American director and producer of film and television.

Born in New York City, he attended DeWitt Clinton High School and the Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey. He began his film career as an employee at Universal Studios office in New York then made his Hollywood filmmaking debut in 1947 as an assistant director. He worked as a producer for the first time in 1953 and a year later made his directing debut. In 1964, Paramount Pictures appointed him head of film production, a position he held until 1966 when he left to set up his own production company.

Mr. Koch is occasionally confused by film fans with the other Howard Koch (Howard E. Koch, 1901–1995), who received an Academy Award as one of the co-authors of Casablanca (with Philip Epstein and Julius Epstein). Unlike Howard W. Koch, Howard E. Koch was blacklisted as a Communist and went through the same problems as most blacklisted Hollywood writers, including a move to England, writing under pseudonyms, and finally returning to New York. Also, Howard W. Koch (and not Howard E. Koch) was the father of prominent Hollywood film producer Howard W. Koch, Jr., also known as "Hawk" Koch.

Among his numerous television productions, Howard W. Koch produced the Academy Awards show on eight occasions. Dedicated to the industry, he served as President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1977 to 1979. In 1990 the Academy honored him with the The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and in 1991 he received the Frank Capra Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of America.

Together with actor Telly Savalas, Howard Koch owned Telly's Pop, winner of several important California races for juveniles including the Norfolk Stakes and Del Mar Futurity.

Howard W. Koch suffered from Alzheimer's disease and died Los Angeles in 2001. He had two children from a marriage of 64 years and in 2004 his son Hawk Koch was elected to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences's Board of Governors.

Filmography

Film (producer):

• Shields for Murder (1954)
• Frankenstein 1970 (1958)
• The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
• Come Blow Your Horn (1963)
• Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)
• The Odd Couple (1968)
• On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970)
• Plaza Suite (1971)
• Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1972)
• Once Is Not Enough (1975)
• The Other Side of Midnight (1977)
• Airplane! (1980)
• Some Kind of Hero (1982)
• Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)
• Ghost (1990)

Television (director)

• Maverick
• Hawaiian Eye
• Cheyenne
• The Untouchables
• Miami Undercover

External links

• Howard W. Koch at Find a Grave
• Howard W. Koch at the Internet Movie Database

Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by Walter Mirisch	President of Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences 1977-1979	Succeeded by Fay Kanin