Jeff Wexler, the BAFTA Award-winning and two-time Oscar-nominated sound mixer behind projects like Almost Famous, The Last Samurai and Independence Dayhas died at the age of 78, his children confirmed in a statement to the Motion Picture Sound Editors.
Wexler died Dec. 9 at his Santa Monica home after a yearslong battle with chronic kidney disease, said Vanessa and David Wexler. “Losing him is overwhelming, even though we knew his body had been fighting for a long time,” they wrote.
A leader in the community and founder/moderator behind the online forum jwsoundgroup.net, which allows sound department workers a hub to discuss their craft, Wexler also pioneered the introduction of digital production recording with DAT (Digital Audio Tape) and first-ever file-based production recording with the original Zaxcom Deva I.
The legendary below-the-line worker received the Cinema Audio Society’s Career Achievement Award in 2011 and served on the board of directors for the organization. Prior to his death, he remained an industry participant by guest lecturing, leading panel discussions and moderating workshops.
In addition to the aforementioned films, his extensive credits (more than 70 pictures) over the course of his five-decade-career include 42, Vanilla Sky, As Good as It Gets, Jerry Maguire, Fight Club, A Perfect World, Ghost, Spaceballs, The Natural, An Officer and a Gentleman, 9 to 5 and many others.
“Our dad was kind in a way that felt effortless, generous in a way that asked for nothing back, and endlessly curious about the world. What meant the most to him was his family. He was a source of unwavering support, encouragement, and love, always present for us regardless of his professional commitments,” the family statement continued.
Wexler grew up around film sets as the son of Haskell Wexler, the two-time Academy Award-winning cinematographer of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Bound for Glory. Though the young Wexler initially believed he would become a sociology teacher, a summer job on the set of 1971’s Harold and Maude “showed him exactly where he belonged: right there on set, actively listening, creatively contributing, paying attention in the way only he could.”
“He cared deeply about his craft and was always pushing it forward,” the Wexler children wrote. “He helped usher in new recording technologies long before they became standard. He mentored younger sound people. He loved problem-solving. He loved being part of something bigger than himself. But the main thing we want people to know is that he was a great dad. Someone who showed up for us. A man of quiet integrity, whose deep and comprehensive exploration of the human condition was evident in all he did. He loved film for its ability to connect people.”
The statement concluded, “Our stepmom, Carol, passed away earlier this year, and even though losing them both so close together feels surreal, we are grateful they are at peace. We know our dad will be missed far beyond our family. The film community loved him, learned from him, and was inspired by him. We were fortunate to have him as a father, and despite his physical absence, he remains with us always.”
Jeff Wexler on set (Motion Picture Sound Editors)
