Herman Raucher, a renowned screenwriter, passed away on December 28 at the age of 95. His daughter Jenny Raucher announced his death, stating that he died of natural causes at Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Connecticut. Raucher’s most notable work, the screenplay for Summer of ’42, garnered much acclaim and even earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Raucher’s screenplay for Summer of ’42, which he later adapted into a bestselling novel, tells a nostalgic and bittersweet tale of teenage infatuation set during World War II. The film, directed by Robert Mulligan, was a critical success and a box office hit for Warner Bros. The score, composed by Michel Legrand, won an Oscar and became one of the most recognizable movie themes of the decade.
Born on April 13, 1928, in Brooklyn, Raucher began his career writing for Golden Age TV dramas like Studio One, Goodyear Playhouse, and The Alcoa Hour. Concurrently, he worked as the Advertising Copy Director for Walt Disney’s expanding live-action productions. Eventually, Raucher transitioned from advertising to focus on his own writing.
Prior to Summer of ’42, Raucher wrote the screenplay for the cult film Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? in 1969. The following year, he penned the screenplay for the groundbreaking film Watermelon Man, a racially-charged satire that tackled important social issues. Raucher went on to write screenplays for other popular films, including Ode To Billy Joe in 1976 and The Other Side of Midnight in 1977. He also contributed as an uncredited script doctor for The Great Santini in 1979.
The inspiration for Summer of ’42 came from a heartbreaking event in Raucher’s life – the death of his best friend Oscy Seltzer in the Korean War. Seltzer’s death deeply impacted Raucher and became the driving force behind the central character in both the film and the novel. To this day, Raucher’s daughter Jenny reveals that he struggled to celebrate his own birthday due to this tragedy.
Despite his success in film and theater, Raucher’s true passion was writing novels. He believed that novels offered him the freedom and control that other mediums did not. Among his notable works are A Glimpse of Tiger, There Should Have Been Castles, and Maynard’s House. In recent years, Raucher’s novels have been reissued and translated into foreign editions, as well as released as audiobooks.
Raucher’s wife of 42 years, Mary Kathryn Raucher, predeceased him in 2002. She was a student at the School of American Ballet with renowned choreographer George Balanchine and performed as a dancer on Broadway. Raucher is survived by his daughters, Jenny Raucher and Jacqueline Raucher-Salkin, along with their families.
In honor of Herman Raucher’s memory, the family requests that donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation in his name. Raucher’s contributions to the world of screenwriting and literature will be remembered and celebrated for years to come.