Robert Evans Biography: Children, Wife, Obituary, Height, Ethnicity, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Parents, Films

Robert J. Shapera, famously known as Robert Evans, was a legendary American film producer and studio executive who was widely known for revitalizing Paramount Pictures in the late 1960s and 1970s.

He rose to fame for producing iconic films such as Rosemary’s Baby, Love Story, The Godfather, and Chinatown, becoming a central figure in Hollywood’s New Hollywood era.

Profile

• Full Name: Robert J. Shapera
• Stage Name: Robert Evans
• Born: June 29, 1930
• Date of death: October 26, 2019 (Aged: 89 years)
• Birthplace: New York City, New York, U.S.
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Film producer and studio executive
• Height: 1.75 m
• Parents: Archie Shapera and Florence Shapera
• Siblings: Charles Evans
• Spouse: Sharon Hugueny (m.1961–1962), Camilla Sparv (m.1964–1967), Ali MacGraw (m.1969–1973), Phyllis George (m.1977–1978), Catherine Oxenberg (1998; annulled), Leslie Ann Woodward (m.2002–2004), and Lady Victoria White (m.2005–2006)
• Children: Josh Evans
• Relationship: Divorced
• Net Worth: $120 million

Early Life And Education

Robert J. Shapera was born on June 29, 1930, in New York City, New York, to Jewish parents, Archie Shapera, a dentist, and Florence Shapera, a housewife. He was raised alongside his brother, Charles Evans. Robert attended DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx and began working in radio as a child actor.

He later studied at the City College of New York but did not complete a degree. Ethnically, Evans was Jewish-American, and while he was not publicly religious, he acknowledged his Jewish heritage throughout his life.

Career

Robert Evans began his career in the entertainment industry as a radio actor and then transitioned into voice acting and modeling. His big break came unexpectedly in the mid-1950s when actress Norma Shearer spotted him at a poolside and recommended him to play her late husband, MGM producer Irving Thalberg, in the 1957 film Man of a Thousand Faces.

Though Evans pursued acting briefly, his transition behind the scenes solidified his place in Hollywood history. In 1966, Charles Bluhdorn, head of Gulf+Western, appointed Evans as the head of production at Paramount Pictures, despite Evans’s limited executive experience. At the time, Paramount was the lowest-ranking studio in Hollywood.

Under his leadership, the studio soared to new heights, producing an unprecedented run of critical and commercial hits including Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Love Story (1970), The Godfather (1972), Chinatown (1974), and Marathon Man (1976). His visionary risk-taking and close collaborations with directors and writers ushered in a golden age known as New Hollywood.

After stepping down as production chief, Evans formed his own production company, Robert Evans Productions, and continued producing hit films such as Urban Cowboy (1980) and The Cotton Club (1984). Though his career faced setbacks in the 1980s due to personal controversies and legal troubles, he staged a comeback in the 1990s.

His memoir, The Kid Stays in the Picture (1994), became a bestseller and was later adapted into a critically acclaimed documentary in 2002, further cementing his legacy as one of Hollywood’s most influential and colorful figures.

Social Media

Robert Evans does not have a social media account.

Personal Life

Robert Evans was married seven times throughout his life. His first marriage was to Sharon Hugueny from 1961 to 1962, followed by Camilla Sparv from 1964 to 1967. He then married Ali MacGraw from 1969 to 1973, with whom he had his only child, a son named Josh Evans.

After that, he married Phyllis George from 1977 to 1978, Catherine Oxenberg in 1998 (a marriage that was later annulled), Leslie Ann Woodward from 2002 to 2004, and finally Lady Victoria White from 2005 to 2006. His most publicized relationship was with Ali MacGraw, marking his life’s longest and most significant marriage.

Filmography

• Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
• Love Story (1970)
• The Godfather (1972)
• Chinatown (1974)
• Marathon Man (1976)
• Urban Cowboy (1980)
• The Cotton Club (1984)
• Sliver (1993)
• How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

Net Worth

Robert Evans’s estimated net Worth was $120 million at his death in 2019. His fortune was largely accumulated through his prolific career as a studio executive, producer, and author.