‘Rambo,’ ‘Total Recall’ producer Andy Vajna dies at 74

Andy Vajna, a Hungarian-American film producer who worked on several “Rambo” movies with Sylvester Stallone, “Total Recall” with Arld Schwarzenegger and Madonna’s “Evita,” has died. He was 74. Vajna, who produced many or films, died on Sunday, January 20, at his Budapest home after a long illness, Hungary’s National Film Fund said.

Schwarzenegger remembered Vajna as “a dear friend and a revolutionary force in Hollywood.”

Stallone paid tribute to Vajna on Instagram, calling him “a pioneer” and “ man that made Rambo” happen. Vajna believed in “First Blood,” first Rambo film, “when one else did. This truly breaks my heart,” Stallone said.

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Vajna was also owner of TV2 Group, a Hungarian company which owns several television channels, including TV2, one of Hungary’s two main broadcasters and politically aligned closely with Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government.

“We are bidding farewell to greatest Hungarian film producer,” Orban posted on his Facebook p. “Hasta la vista, Andy! Thank you for everything, my friend!”

Since 2011, Vajna had been a commissioner in Orban government, in charge of developing Hungary’s film industry.

Vajna, who enjoyed a state-granted mopolistic concession on Budapest casis, was recently listed by Hungarian edition of Forbes magazine as 18th richest Hungarian, with a net worth estimated at nearly $240 million. He also owned Radio 1, a radio station popular across country.

producer was born Andras Gyorgy Vajna in Budapest on Aug. 1, 1944, and escaped Hungary’s communist regime in 1956 with help from International Red Cross. After some time in Canada, he was reunited with his family in Los Angeles.

After studying at UCLA, Vajna operated cinemas in Hong Kong, where he also established a successful wig-making company.

In mid-1970s, Vajna set up Carolco, a film production firm, with Mario Kassar. Besides Rambo series, two men were also behind films like “Victory” — starring Stallone, Michael Caine, and Pele; “Red Heat” and “Total Recall,” starring Schwarzenegger; and “Angel Heart” and “Johnny Handsome” with Mickey Rourke.

After leaving Carolco in 1989, Vajna’s films included “Terminator 3: Rise of Machines,” ″Die Hard with a Vengeance,” ″ Scarlet Letter,” ″Nixon” and “I Spy.”

He also produced several successful Hungarian films and was co-owner of Korda Studios, in vill of Etyek, near Budapest, where “ Martian,” ″Infer” and “Hellboy II: Golden Army” were filmed.

Late last year, Vajna was among a handful of businesspeople close to Orban who donated most of ir media holdings to a nprofit foundation overseen by an Orban ally, a move which put over 470 publications under even closer political control. Vajna is survived by his wife, Timea.