General
Charles Shyer, Filmmaker Who Focused on Women, Dies at 83
His long collaboration with Nancy Meyers produced a string of hit movies, including “Baby Boom” and “Father of the Bride,” that spoke to the moment.
Charles Shyer, who co-wrote and directed a long string of hit comedies, including “Private Benjamin,” “Baby Boom” and “Father of the Bride” — many of which featured strong female leads and were made in collaboration with his former wife, Nancy Meyers — died on Dec. 27 in Los Angeles. He was 83.
His daughters Annie Meyers-Shyer and Hallie Meyers-Shyer, who is also a director, said he died in a hospital after an unspecified short illness.
Mr. Shyer was practically raised by the film industry — his father, Melville Shyer, was a founder of the Directors Guild of America — and his projects drew on his unabashed love for classic movies.
His portfolio of inspirations was vast, encompassing the renowned, like “His Girl Friday” (1940) and “North by Northwest” (1959), and the obscure, like the absurdist 1973 British comedy “O Lucky Man!,” which he ranked among his favorite films.
He and Ms. Meyers were both romantic and professional partners. They were already dating when they collaborated with Harvey Miller on the script for “Private Benjamin,” a 1980 film about a socialite who enlists in the U.S. Army.
The film, directed by Howard Zieff and starring Goldie Hawn, was a major hit — it made $69.8 million on a $9.2 million budget — and the writing trio earned an Academy Award nomination for best original screenplay.
