Samuel Goldwyn Jr. — a Hollywood icon and father of “Scandal” star Tony Goldwyn — has died, according to The New York Times.
He was 88.
Samuel comes from a storied lineage in the entertainment industry. He was the son of Samuel Goldwyn, who represents the “G” in MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer).
Samuel’s son, John, told the NYT that his dad died of congestive heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Samuel most recently produced a remake of his father’s hit film “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” starring and directed by Ben Stiller, which was released in December 2013. He was also nominated for an Oscar in 2004 in the Best Picture category for producing “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.”
Born and raised in LA, Samuel was born on September 7, 1926. After attending the University of Virginia and serving in the Army, Samuel went across the pond to work as a theatrical producer in London and then worked for Edward R. Murrow at CBS in New York.
Upon returning to his hometown of Hollywood in 1950, Samuel made the films “The Proud Rebel” and “Cotton Comes to Harlem” and even owned the Landmark theater chain for a period.
He founded the Samuel Goldwyn Company in 1979 and is credited with giving “America’s Sweetheart” Julia Roberts her big break in the 1988 film “Mystic Pizza.”
The following year, he supported a film titled “Longtime Companion,” revolving around the impact the AIDS epidemic had on gay men. Despite theater owners rejecting the movie, he moved forward with it and released a trailer that addressed AIDS in the opening 10 seconds.
WATCH: Tony Goldwyn Praises Shonda Rhimes; Teases ‘Scandal’
Besides passing on his showbiz genes to “Scandal’s” Tony, his son John served as vice chairman of Paramount Pictures.
Samuel is survived by sons John, Tony, Francis and Peter, daughters Catherine and Elizabeth, 10 grandchildren and his third wife, Patricia Strawn. He divorced his first two wives.
He also contributed to the Motion Picture and Television Fund through a family foundation. His contributions helped to build a day care center for children, in addition to a behavioral health center.
— Paige Feigenbaum
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