The Hollywood Reporter
9/10/2016
Russ Kavanaugh, Producer and Uncle of Ryan Kavanaugh, Dies at 63
4:05 PM PDT 9/10/2016
by THR Staff
"He was more than an uncle but a best friend, a confidant, he was the person you went to to help with anything," the Relativity CEO shared in a statement to THR.
Russ Kavanaugh, who co-produced films such as Michael Hoffman's film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' The Best of Me and 1995's Money Train, died Thursday after a two-year battle with glioblastoma, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. He was 63.
Relativity Media CEO Ryan Kavanaugh, Russ' nephew, confirmed his uncle's passing in a statement to THR. The producer died in the comfort of his home.
Russ Kavanaugh worked as a radio DJ and jet pilot in his earlier years before stepping into the film industry in the late '90s, serving as a post-production supervisor for multiple titles including 1999's Wild Wild West, and 1998's Jack Frost. He transitioned to associate producer and worked on five different films (1997's Rosewood among them) before taking on the title of producer for more recent releases.
His last film, 2014's The Best of Me starring James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan, was co-produced with nephew Ryan Kavanaugh.
"No one exuded more love towards his family than uncle Russ. He was more than an uncle but a best friend, a confidant, he was the person you went to to help with anything. No problem too big," the Relativity exec shared in a statement. "He would want the world to know he beat the odds (of the disease by living longer then his diagnoses) and would smile while saying it."
Russ Kavanaugh is survived by his brother Jack Kavanaugh, daughters Jessica and Nicole Kavanaugh and nephews Matthew and Ryan Kavanaugh.
KAVANAUGH , Russ
Born: 12/15/1952, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Died: 9/8/2016, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Russ Kavanaugh’s western – production manager:
The Wild Wild West - 1999