Producer Robert Relyea Dies At 82

Hollywood producer Robert Relyea died in Los Angeles earlier this month. He was 82.

The industry veteran reportedly passed away on March 5. A spokesperson for the producer said he died from natural causes.

Although Robert Relyea spent around 40 years working in the industry, he’s probably best known for a handful of Steve McQueen movies he helped bring to life in the 60s and 70s. In addition to the action classic Bullitt, Relyea also produced Le Mans and The Reivers.

The producer also served as an assistant or second unit director on a number of Hollywood classics. Relyea helped out on such memorable films as Oklamhoma!, Jailhouse Rock, The Magnificent Seven, and West Side Story.

The producer and University of California Los Angeles graduate was born in California in 1930. He would eventually become the third generation of his family to work in the industry.

Robert Relyea began his Hollywood career as a crew member at MGM in 1955. After working his way through the industry for several years, the producer eventually joined forces with star Steve McQueen.

The producer and the actor formed a partnership in 1966. Relyea would serve as an executive producer on a number of independent films. Some of his producing credits include Blame it on Rio, The Day of the Dolphin, and the 1993 Arnold Schwarzenegger comedy Last Action Hero.

Robert Relyea would also serve as vice president of motion picture management at Melvin Simon Productions and Lorimar.

He would eventually pen an autobiography about his experiences in the motion picture industry. Not So Quiet on the Set was released in 2008. The book was co-written by his son Craig Relyea.

“A unique collaboration between father and son, it is a real-life adventure that not only illustrates how the movie industry really works but provides a revealing portrait of Hollywood’s loss of innocence,” the book’s description reads.

Producer Robert Relyea is survived by his wife, five children, two stepchildren, and grandchildren.