Chris Chesser dies: Major League, The Color Of War producer turns 74

Chris Chesser, the independent film and documentary producer whose credits include the hit 1989 comedy Charlie Sheen First Leaguedied suddenly at his home in Los Angeles on February 2. He was 74.

His death was announced today by his brothers Alan and Steve Chesser. A cause of death has not been released.

Chesser began his film career in 1974 in New York as an international sales executive for Columbia Pictures. In 1976 he became director general of the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.

In 1978 he became Executive Assistant at co-founder Mike Medavoy’s newly formed Orion Pictures and served as Vice President of Production for Marble Arch Productions and Production Manager for Filmways from 1980 to 1983 under George Litto and Bobby Meyers until the company was acquired by Orion.

As a production manager, Chesser oversaw films such as Orion Sharkey’s Machine, The Great Santini, Caddyshack, Wolfen, Arthur, Excalibur and that of Universal At the Golden Dam. He also helped develop messages lumbar puncture, from Colombia absence of malice and guided production by Orion’s yellow beard

As an independent producer, Chesser executive produced Trans World Entertainment’s Kansas and Hemdale’s War Party. He produced eyes of an angel with John Travolta and executive producer Michael Douglas for Trans World Entertainment.

Chesser’s most famous project came in 1989 when he served as producer First League, the baseball comedy written and directed by David Ward, starring Sheen, Tom Berenger, Corbin Bernsen, Wesley Snipes and Rene Russo. The successful film was co-produced by Julie Bergman Sender, with Mark Rosenberg serving as executive producer, Joe Roth as co-producer and Irby Smith as producer.

1990 produced Chesser silhouette with Alan Beattie, with whom he founded Beattie/Chesser Productions to develop and produce films for motion pictures and television. Beattie/Chesser produced Jim McBrides the wrong man for Viacom Pictures with John Lithgow and Rosanna Arquette; by Carl Schenk Excellent softness with Malcolm McDowell, Peter Boyle and Charles Dance for Capella Films; And Negative pressure for Largo Entertainment starring Charlie Sheen and Mare Winningham, released as an HBO premiere.

Beattie and Chesser teamed up with film and television producer John Corry in 1996 to create television documentary series including secrets of war with Charlton Heston for Pearson Television and The History Channel; The color of war with Peter Coyote; The Face of Evil: Reinhard Heydrich with Charlton Heston for The History Channel; And celebrity wings with Dennis Quaid and Hugh Hefner for Discovery Networks.

In 2003, Chesser, Beattie and Corry served as executive producers on Universal’s action comedy The outcome starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and produced by Karen Glasser.

Chesser reteamed with Corry and Glasser to produce from 2005–2007 Safari clips for MGM Television; The Long March for the history channel; and a 3D animated film adaptation of The Ten Commandments with Sir Ben Kingsley, Christian Slater and Elliott Gould.

2012 Chesser produced blood worksa thriller starring Eric Roberts, followed by Absolutely everything A 2015 science fiction comedy starring Robin Williams, Kate Beckinsale and Rob Riggle.

Chesser is survived by his two brothers.