Charles Shyer, an acclaimed writer and filmmaker recognized for his contributions to iconic comedies such as “Private Benjamin,” “Baby Boom,” and “Father of the Bride,” has passed away at the age of 83. His death occurred in Los Angeles on Friday, as reported by his daughter, filmmaker Hallie Meyers-Shyer. The specific cause of death has not been disclosed.
Shyer was born into the film industry in Los Angeles in 1941, as the son of Melville Shyer, one of the founding members of the Directors Guild of America. He left a lasting impression on romantic comedies during the 1980s and 1990s, establishing himself as a key figure in Hollywood. Shyer began his career writing for television programs, collaborating with Garry Marshall on series like “The Odd Couple” before he pivoted to a film-centric role. He contributed to scripts for notable movies including “Smokey and the Bandit,” Jack Nicholson’s “Goin’ South,” and the Walter Matthau drama “House Calls.” A pivotal moment in his career came with the co-written script for “Private Benjamin,” a comedy starring Goldie Hawn about a wealthy woman’s unexpected military enlistment, which had previously been rejected by multiple studios even with Hawn’s involvement.
Reflecting on the film’s challenges, Shyer recalled a meeting at Paramount where studio head Mike Eisner discouraged Hawn from taking the role, to which producer Don Simpson countered with strong support for the project. Ultimately, “Private Benjamin” became a substantial success in 1980, earning an Oscar nomination and a Writers Guild award, and leading to Shyer’s directorial debut with “Irreconcilable Differences.” This film, co-written with his then-wife Nancy Meyers, featured Shelley Long and Ryan O’Neal as a couple navigating the collapse of their relationship amidst their success and a love interest played by Sharon Stone, reminiscent of the real-life dramas surrounding filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich.
Shyer and Meyers developed a highly collaborative partnership, with Shyer expressing admiration for Meyers’s sharp humor and their shared understanding of film. Following “Irreconcilable Differences,” they created “Baby Boom,” starring Diane Keaton as a career woman unexpectedly faced with motherhood, and “Father of the Bride,” which updated a classic film for a new audience and featured a celebrated cast including Keaton, Steve Martin, and Martin Short. The success of these films led to sequels and subsequent collaborations.
Their final joint project as a married couple, before their divorce in 1999, was the remake of “The Parent Trap,” featuring Lindsay Lohan, which Meyers directed and Shyer wrote and produced. Their daughters, Annie and Hallie, whose names inspired the film’s twin roles, also appeared onscreen. Shyer is survived by two additional children, Jacob and Sophia, from a later marriage.
While Shyer often engaged in remakes, he was intent on ensuring that these adaptations were not mere “carbon copies” but were infused with new perspectives. He acknowledged the unpredictability of comedic longevity and noted the importance of writing timeless stories that resonate beyond their immediate context. He admitted that while comedy can age poorly, his focus was on capturing universal human experiences that transcend generations.
Later in his career, Shyer remade “Alfie” with Jude Law and directed the historically-themed “The Affair of the Necklace” starring Hilary Swank, although neither film achieved significant box office success. He also helmed “I Love Trouble” but expressed dissatisfaction with the project. Some of his aspirations, such as directing “Eloise in Paris,” were thwarted when the production company collapsed.
After a lengthy hiatus from directing, he returned to the craft in recent years, directing two Christmas romantic comedies for Netflix: “The Noel Diary” and “Best. Christmas. Ever!” He was passionate about storytelling that centers on character and talked about a script he had been developing for years since a brief hospitalization at 17. Describing it as a blend of “The 400 Blows” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” he affirmed that retirement was not on his horizon, expressing his fervor for filmmaking.
“I’ve got a lot of energy and love for what I do,” he remarked, highlighting his commitment to the craft of filmmaking and the collaborations that come with it. Shyer’s creative legacy endures through his memorable contributions to cinema.
