Howard Winchel Koch (April 11, 1916 – February 16, 2001) was an American film producer and director. He served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and as head of film production at Paramount Pictures, and directed and produced numerous films, including The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The Odd Couple (1968), Airplane! (1980) and its 1982 sequel, and Ghost (1990). At the 62nd Academy Awards, he was honored the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his "outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes". He also received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations, three of which were for producing Academy Awards ceremonies.

Koch was the father of film producer Hawk Koch, and the great-grandfather of actor Cooper Koch and film editor Payton Koch.

Koch was born on April 11, 1916 in New York City, to a Jewish family.^[2][3] He attended DeWitt Clinton High School and the Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey.^[4] He began his film career as an employee at Universal Studios office in New York then made his Hollywood filmmaking debut in 1947 as an assistant director. He worked as a producer for the first time in 1953 and a year later made his directing debut. In 1964, Paramount Pictures appointed him head of film production, a position he held until 1966 when he left to set up his own production company. He had a production pact with Paramount for over 15 years.^[5]

Among his numerous television productions, Howard W. Koch produced the Academy Awards show on eight occasions, from the 44th Academy Awards in 1972 to the 55th Academy Awards in 1983 (except in 1974, 1977, 1979 and 1981). Dedicated to the industry, he served as President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1977 to 1979.^[6] In 1990, the Academy honored him with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 62nd Academy Awards and in 1991, he received the Frank Capra Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of America.^[6]

Together with actor Telly Savalas, Howard Koch owned the thoroughbred racehorse Telly's Pop, winner of several important California races for juveniles including the Norfolk Stakes and Del Mar Futurity.

Howard W. Koch suffered from Alzheimer's disease and died in at his home in Beverly Hills, California on February 16, 2001.^[6][7] He had two children from a marriage of 64 years to Ruth Pincus, who died in March 2009.^[8] In 2004, his son Hawk Koch was elected to the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and in 2013 he became its president, making them the first father and son to serve as presidents of the organization.^[9]

• Howard W. Koch at IMDb