Biography
Howard Winchel Koch (11 April 1916 – 16 February 2001) was an American film producer and director. Born in New York City, he began his career in the Universal Studios office there before moving to 20th Century-Fox as a film librarian. He made his Hollywood debut as an assistant director in 1947 and first worked as a producer in 1953.
Koch served as head of film production at Paramount Pictures from 1964 to 1966, after which he established his own production company with a long-term pact at the studio. Among his credits as producer or executive producer are The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The Odd Couple (1968), Airplane! (1980), Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) and Ghost (1990). He also directed episodes of television series including Maverick and The Untouchables.
Koch was president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1977 to 1979 and produced several Academy Awards ceremonies. In 1990 he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. He was the father of producer Hawk Koch.
