Frederick Engel, 71; Movie Producer, Literary Agent
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Frederick Engel, 71, who produced the films “Duel at Diablo” and “Will Penny” and helped bring “Lilies of the Field” to the screen, died Wednesday of complications from hydrocephalus at the Motion Picture and Television home in Woodland Hills.
A native of Los Angeles, Engel graduated from USC and served in the Navy before taking a job in the mail room at MCA. He later worked for the Ashley/Steiner Agency, where he served as a literary agent for a number of writers including William Inge and William Bowers.
Engel saw the William E. Barrett book “Lilies of the Field” while at Ashley/Steiner and took it to United Artists in 1963. Sidney Poitier won the Academy Award for best actor for his role of Homer Smith in the film.
Engel went on to produce “Once a Thief” for MGM and “Duel at Diablo,” also starring Poitier. He later produced “Will Penny,” starring Charlton Heston, for Paramount.
In the 1970s, Engel moved his family to Melbourne, Australia, where he produced several movies for Australian TV.
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