Robert Evans

Robert Evans was a powerful figure in the American film industry.

He worked as a film producer, a studio executive, and an actor. He is most famous for his work on legendary films like *The Godfather* and *Chinatown*. Evans was a key leader who helped transform Paramount Pictures. He turned the studio from a struggling company into a highly profitable enterprise. His career represents the dramatic highs and lows of Hollywood history.

His path to the movies began in the world of fashion. Born Robert J. Shapera on June 29, 1930, in New York City, he grew up on the Upper West Side. He and his brother, Charles, found success selling women's apparel. In 1944, his father asked the brothers to change their surname to "Evans." They added an "s" to make the name sound more American. This business provided the wealth Evans later used to enter the film industry in 1962.

Before producing, Evans had a brief career as an actor. As a teenager, he possessed a deep voice and a talent for foreign accents. He performed in more than 300 radio shows before he turned 18. On November 6, 1956, actress Norma Shearer spotted him at the Beverly Hills Hotel. She recommended him for the role of Irving Thalberg in the film *Man of a Thousand Faces*. He also appeared in the 1957 film *The Sun Also Rises*. However, he eventually decided to move into film production.

Evans became a major executive through an aggressive production style. In 1966, Charles Bluhdorn hired him as the production vice-president of Paramount Pictures. At that time, Paramount was the ninth largest studio and was floundering. Evans led a massive turnaround for the company. During his tenure, the studio produced a long list of acclaimed films. These included *Rosemary's Baby* (1968), *Love Story* (1970), *The Godfather* (1972), and *Chinatown* (1974). He eventually stepped down in 1974 to work as an independent producer.

His career faced a significant downturn in 1980. That year, Evans pled guilty to a misdemeanor for cocaine trafficking. He had been involved in engineering a large cocaine purchase with his brother. This legal trouble deeply affected his professional reputation. For the next 12 years, he produced only two films. Both, *The Cotton Club* (1984) and the *Chinatown* sequel *The Two Jakes* (1990), were financial flops. He later returned to more regular work, producing the hit *How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days* in 2003.

Evans's life also included a complex and difficult legal period. In 1983, producer Roy Radin was murdered during a deal for *The Cotton Club*. The trial, known as the "Cotton Club" murder trial, involved a woman named Karen Greenberger. She was convicted of second-degree murder and kidnapping. While police reports suggested Evans might have been involved, Greenberger testified during the 1991 trial that he was not. Evans invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and refused to testify during the preliminary hearing.

In 1998, Evans survived a major medical crisis. While at a dinner party, he suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on his right side. He was also temporarily unable to speak. He worked hard on his recovery and eventually regained his ability to talk. He continued to work in the industry, though he eventually relied on a cane for mobility. Robert Evans died in Beverly Hills on October 26, 2019, at the age of 89.

His legacy lives on through his son, Josh Evans, who is also a film producer.