Steve Reuther Director of 36 Top Box Office Hits Dies of Cancer at 58

While you may not recognize director Steve Reuther's name, you may recognize the 36 top box office movies he produced or helped produce. His movies had some of the biggest names in the movie world starring in them.

Even though he preceeds the death of Patrick Swayze, the two had more than 'Dirty Dancing' in common. Both men died at a young age of cancer. Steve Ruether died at his home the same way Patrick Swayze did last year at the age of 57. They were also in their late 50's when they died of cancer.

Steve Reuther will be missed by fans as well as family and friends because of the types of different movies he produced during his career. Of the 36 popular movies that has been produced to date and released, I have 4 favorites from the list.

My 4 Favorite Movies Produced by Steve Ruether

'Pretty Woman' (1990) - Executive Producer

Julia Roberts starred in 'Pretty Woman' with Richard Gere. This is one of my favorites because it shows how a girl of the streets can find love, go from only getting the time of night to getting the time of day from those who thumbed their noses at her line of work.

'Pretty Woman' is the all-time tear-jerking romance that many women like to watch over and over.

'Dirty Dancing' (1987) - Executive Producer

Patrick Swayze stars in 'Dirty Dancing' as a thug dancer who gets 'Baby' out of the corner. I love watching Patrick Swayze dance in 'Dirty Dancing.' There have been couples who have used 'The Time of My Life' from this movie as their first wedding dance at their receptions.

'The Replacements' (2007) - Executive Producer

Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackmen star in 'The Replacements.' I'm not much of a football fan, but I love this movie. 'The Replacements' is about a group of nobody's who are signed up to replace a pro football team, the Washington Sentinels. I love rooting for the underdogs, which is what the Sentinels are once the strike starts.

'Pay It Forward' (2000) - Producer

Kevin Spacey stars in 'Pay It Forward.' This movie is about when Trevor, played by Haley Joel Osment, takes on an assignment by coming up with something that can change the world.

While his idea was to pay a favor forward rather than back, the person who the favor was paid forward to couldn't be repaid; they had to be paid forward, when the first person accepted the forward paying favor they would have to 'Pay it Forward' to three other people.

With the premise of this movie being shown on the big screen, it has started a similar grass roots movement since it aired in 2000. For instance, Starbucks customers have chosen days to pay it forward by getting the person behind them coffee buy. This movement has to continue for each person going through the drive-thru. Similar fast food restaurants have seen the same type of thing happening. I have seen it first hand while working at a local grocery store.

Sources

'Pretty Woman' producer Reuther dies at 58

Steven Reuther Summer Movie Guide