Richard L. O’Connor Dies: Emmy-Winning Producer, Exec In Charge Of ‘On Golden Pond’, ‘Muppet Movie’ Was 96

Richard L. O’Connor, an Emmy-winning TV producer and a studio executive in charge of production on such films as On Golden Pond, The Muppet Movie and Raise The Titanic, died July 22 in Palm Desert. He was 96.

His death was announced by his family. A cause was not disclosed.

A long-time resident of the Mendocino Coast, O’Connor won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Program for producing the 1989 NBC TV movie A Mother’s Courage: The Mary Thomas Story starring Alfre Woodard.

Born in San Francisco with his twin brother Don on January 7, 1930, O’Connor and his twin served together in the United States Marine Corps in the Korean War from 1950-1951, and after college Richard began pursuing a career in Hollywood. He landed a job in the mail room at CBS Television City, the start of a career in show business that would eventually including producing and working as a studio executive.

His four-decade studio production career includes such TV and movie credits as On Golden Pond (1981); The Muppet Movie (1979); Movie, Movie (1978); Friendly Fire (1979);and Raise The Titanic (1980).

As a producer, O’Connor’s credits include TV movies and episodes of such TV series and limited series as Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993), Amerika (1987), A Death in California (1985), Fatal Vision (1984) and Angels in the Endzone (1997), among others.

He is survived by wife Brona; daughters Kathleen, Triglia and Karen; stepchildren Kate, Marc and Matt; four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandaughter.