David Matalon Dead: 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' Producer & Film Exec Was 82

David Matalon , a longtime film executive and producer who co-founded and ran TriStar Pictures , led Regency Enterprises for a dozen years and was EVP at Columbia Pictures International, died Monday of natural causes at his Beverly Hills home, Searchlight Pictures said. He was 82.

Born on July 5, 1943, Matalon produced or exec-produced a half-dozen indie films during the 1990s, including the Johnny Depp-Leonardo DiCaprio starrer What’s Eating Gilbert Grape , Hear No Evil starring Marlee Matlin , the Bruce Willis-led Color of Night and Breaking Up with Russell Crowe and Salma Hayek.

Before that, Matalon began his career earlier at Columbia Pictures International, where he rose to Executive Vice President. He left to co-found and serve as president of TriStar Pictures, whe