Michael Schlesinger, a renowned repertory executive who worked at United Artists Classics, Paramount and Sony Repertory, died Jan. 9. He was 74.

Schlesinger died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, where he was being treated for a rare form of cancer.

Schlesinger was known for being instrumental in restoring and releasing classic films over multiple decades. While working at Sony Repertory as vice president, he oversaw the 70mm restoration of “Lawrence of Arabia.” When he was at Paramount Pictures Distribution, he worked on the 50th anniversary release of “Citizen Kane,” which included Orson Welles’ famously incomplete “It’s All True.”

Joseph McBride, an author and film historian and friend of Schlesinger’s, wrote in his tribute that “Mike was a true mensch. Every cinephile had a friend in Mike Schlesinger. He was passionate about preserving and distributing classic films. He stuck his neck out for film history while working for major studios...