Sam Mercer Dies: Producer On M. Night Shyamalan Films, Ilm Exec & Location Manager On ’80s Classics Was 69
Sam Mercer, who produced seven M. Night Shyamalan films including The Sixth Sense, headed Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic and was location manager on several classic 1980s pics, has died. He was 69.
His wife Tegan Jones told Deadline that Mercer died February 12 of younger-onset Alzheimer’s.
“He was the best big brother I could have hoped for,” Shyamalan said in a statement. “He made every movie a family, and I’ve tried to emulate that in every film since.”
Mercer moved to Los Angeles from Weston, Ma, to work in the movie industry. He began his career as a location manager on such 1980s gems as Stripes, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Peggy Sue Got Married and The Witches of Eastwick before moving to Walt Disney Studios.
Paul Reubens in ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure’ (1985)
There he worked as a production executive, supervising movies including Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society,...
His wife Tegan Jones told Deadline that Mercer died February 12 of younger-onset Alzheimer’s.
“He was the best big brother I could have hoped for,” Shyamalan said in a statement. “He made every movie a family, and I’ve tried to emulate that in every film since.”
Mercer moved to Los Angeles from Weston, Ma, to work in the movie industry. He began his career as a location manager on such 1980s gems as Stripes, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Peggy Sue Got Married and The Witches of Eastwick before moving to Walt Disney Studios.
Paul Reubens in ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure’ (1985)
There he worked as a production executive, supervising movies including Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society,...
- 3/14/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
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