Alan Ladd Jr., film producer who greenlit ‘Star Wars,’ dead at 84

Prolific film producer Alan Ladd Jr., whose achievements included approving the development of the original “Star Wars” movie, died Wednesday at age 84.

Ladd, who worked on more than 150 films in his career, died “peacefully at home surrounded by his family,” according to an announcement shared on the Facebook account for a documentary directed by his daughter.

“Words cannot express how deeply he will be missed,” the announcement reads. “His impact on films and filmmaking will live on in his absence.”

Ladd was an executive with the then-named 20th Century Fox movie studio when he greenlit “Star Wars,” which came out in 1977.

He launched his own production banner, The Ladd Company, in 1979. The company worked on classic films such as “Chariots of Fire,” “The Right Stuff,” “Blade Runner” and “Braveheart,” which won five Oscars, including best picture, in 1996.

His daughter, Amanda Ladd-Jones, chronicled her father’s legacy in the film industry with her documentary “Laddie: The Man Behind The Movies,” which came out in 2017.

Ladd received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.