OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Gray Frederickson, an Oklahoma City native who went on to incredible success as a producer in Hollywood, has died. He was 85.
Frederickson was born in Oklahoma City on July 21, 1937. According to Variety magazine, his death follows a battle with prostate cancer.
He graduated from the University of Oklahoma and became involved in filmmaking in the 1960s.
One of his earliest jobs was working as a production manager on the iconic Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Western, ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.’
He went on to produce some of the greatest films ever made, including ‘The Godfather,’ for which he served as an associate producer, ‘The Godfather: Part II,’ for which he won the Academy Award for co-producing, and ‘Apocalypse Now,’ which he co-produced. He also produced the beloved coming-of-age film, ‘The Outsiders,’ which was filmed in Tulsa and based on the groundbreaking young adult novel written by then-Oklahoma teen S.E. Hinton.
Frederickson was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2019.
“Oscar is an award for Best Picture. Oklahoma Hall of Fame is an award for me, so that’s why this is the best,” Frederickson told The Oklahoman at the time. “It’s special because of Oklahoma. I’m Oklahoma. I mean, it’s like another appendage for me. It’s part of me; it’s who I am. And to be accepted by Oklahoma is really the pinnacle of everything for me.”
Frederickson’s passion for Oklahoma filmmaking continued into his golden years at Oklahoma City Community College, where he taught for the Digital Cinema Production program – his own brainchild that was recently named one of the best film schools in the country.
“His film career would have been enough to make him a legend, but then for him to return to OKC and build our city’s film industry as he did – it was an incredible gift,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “Oklahoma City will be forever proud of Gray Frederickson and forever grateful to him.”
He is survived by his wife, Karen, and two children.
One of his children, Tyler Frederickson posted of his father’s passing on Facebook.
Today my Dad went into heaven. He was the greatest person in the world that help changed the film industry in Oklahoma…
…He will be missed by everyone and I know that he is going to look down and see the film industry in Oklahoma continue to grow.
Tyler Frederickson, partial statement
