Jeremy Larner, Oscar-Winning Screenwriter of ‘The Candidate,’ Dies at 88

Jeremy Larner, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of the 1972 film The Candidate, died on February 24, 2026, at a nursing facility in Oakland, California. He was 88 years ancient.

His son, Jesse Larner, confirmed his death to The Latest York Times. Larner had been diagnosed with lymphoma in January and also had Parkinson’s disease since 2013, though a specific cause of death has not been disclosed.

From Political Speechwriter to Acclaimed Screenwriter

Born on March 20, 1937, in Olean, New York, Larner began his career as a journalist and speechwriter before transitioning to screenwriting. He graduated from Brandeis University in 1958 and authored several books in the 1960s, including his debut novel, Drive, He Said (1964), which was later adapted into a film by Jack Nicholson in 1971, marking Nicholson’s directorial debut. Larner contributed to publications such as Harpers, The Paris Review, and Life.

The Candidate and Political Insight

Larner’s experience as a speechwriter for Eugene McCarthy’s 1968 presidential campaign profoundly influenced his most celebrated operate. He documented his time on the campaign trail in the book Nobody Knows, which was serialized in Harper’s magazine in 1969. The Hollywood Reporter notes that McCarthy’s platform focused on ending U.S. Involvement in the Vietnam War.

This political insight led to his screenplay for The Candidate (1972), directed by Michael Ritchie and starring Robert Redford as Bill McKay, an idealistic lawyer drawn into a Senate race. The film earned Larner an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

A Career Shaping Political Discourse

Beyond The Candidate, Larner continued to lend his writing skills to prominent figures, crafting speeches for politicians like Bill Bradley, activist Sam Brown, and actors Paul Newman and Robert Redford. His work often addressed critical issues such as the Vietnam War and environmentalism.

Larner’s passing follows the death of Robert Redford, who starred in The Candidate, who died in September 2025 at the age of 89, as reported by Yahoo Entertainment.