Julian Lesser Obituary

Lesser, Julian "Bud"
Film and television producer Julian "Bud" Lesser passed away on March 22, 2005, at the age of 90 in Rancho Mirage, CA. Born in San Francisco and raised in Los Angeles, he was the son of motion picture pioneer Sol Lesser and Fay Grunauer Lesser. He graduated from Stanford University in 1936, attended Harvard Business School, and volunteered for duty with the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, where he became an officer supervising military training films. Following the war, he was an active member of the Marine Corps Reserves. He was an enthusiastic man with great capabilities and many interests. As a student at Stanford, he was a member of its gymnastic team and developed a lifelong interest in athletics. During the 1940s and 1950s, he produced motion pictures including "Massacre River" and "The Saint's Girl Friday" and television series including "Bold Journey" and "I Search For Adventure," and throughout the 1960s and 1970s served on the Documentary Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He was also a real estate investor who loved restoring older homes and a life-long gardener. In later years, he wrote and lectured on subjects concerning Hollywood and the arts, sought to preserve motion picture history as a board member of the Hollywood Heritage Museum, contributed articles to the Western States Historical Jewish Quarterly, volunteered at the Living Desert Museum in Palm Desert, CA and was a board member of the Palm Desert Historical Society. Bud was also an executive member of the Combat Correspondents Association and helped in founding the Desert Cities Detachment of the Marine Corps League, where he played an active role in supporting Marine Corps veterans and informing the public about the Marine Corps and its programs, activities, and achievements. Survivors include his wife Helene; children Stephen, Belinda and David; daughter-in-law Elisabeth; step-children Donald Feinberg and Susan Hughes; grandchildren Joshua, Matthew, and Meagan; step-grandchildren Daniel Feinberg, Michael and Molly Hughes, and sister Marjorie Lesser Fasman. A memorial celebrating his life is pending. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in his name to the following: Stanford University, Gift Processing, 326 Galvez St., Stanford, CA 94305; The Living Desert Museum, 47-900 Portola Ave., Palm Desert, CA 92260: The Marine Corps League, Desert City Attachment, PO Box 3282, Cathedral City, CA 92234; or The Hollywood Heritage Museum, PO Box 2586, Hollywood, CA 90078.