Robert A. Katz, Producer Behind ‘Gettysburg’ and ‘Selena,’ Dies at 79
variety.comCarson Burton Robert A. Katz, the producer behind projects such as “Gettysburg,” “Selena” and “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,” died on Wednesday after a long battle with lung cancer, his family announced Thursday.
He was 79.Katz was the co-founder of Esparza/Katz Productions along with Moctesuma Esparza. Together, the duo produced over 20 projects, including the films “Telephone,” “Gettysburg,” “Granada,” “Selena” and “Gods and Generals.” In television, the production company was behind “Rough Riders,” “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge,” and “Walkout.”In 1988, Katz produced “Shoeshine,” which received an Oscar nomination in the Best Live Action Short Film category.Recently, Katz had been working on a variety of projects, including the feature length film “Delfino’s Journey” based on the novel and screenplay by Jo Harper.
He also was serving as an executive producer on a mini-series about the life of General Norman Schwarzkopf based on his autobiography “It Doesn’t Take a Hero.” Katz was born on February 7, 1943 in Los Angeles where he grew up, graduated high school and attended college.
After college, he served in the U.S. Marines as a jet fighter pilot where he helped to train the Israeli Air Force in the mid-1960s.
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