Trivia

Was a life partner of producer/set decorator Jacque Mapes. They were together for over 40 years, one of the longest relationships in Hollywood. The pair produced several films together, including Rosie! (1967) and Airport (1970).

Was the original producer of Sweet Charity (1969). He was forced to drop out after a conflict with director Bob Fosse over how to handle the racy story line.

When actor Martin Fuss went to Hollywood in 1944, it was Columbia Pictures' casting director Maxwell Arnow who suggested he change his name to Ross Hunter. Later, after being an actor for eight years, Hunter turned his hand to producing movies.

Was the recipient of the 1959 Golden Laurel Award for Imitation of Life (1959), starring Lana Turner. In addition to this Best Dramatic Award presented in the name of the Film Buyers of the Motion Picture Industry, he also came in at ninth place for the Top Producer Golden Laurel. It was his first appearance in the Laurel Awards. He would be nominated for the Top Producer Golden Laurel each year from 1959-68, in 1970 and 1971, finally winning the award in 1968.

Was neighbor to Audrey Meadows and her husband, Continental Airlines CEO, Bob Six. Audrey Meadows appeared in Hunter's film "Rosie" with Rosalind Russell.

Hollywood legend claims that when Hunter's 1973 musical remake of Lost Horizon was screened for an invited industry audience before it was released, more than half of those in attendance walked out. Among the celebrities heading for the exits was Hunter's lifelong friend Doris Day, for whom Hunter had produced Day's biggest ever box office hit Pillow Talk. The film turned out to be one of the highest profile box office bombs of the 1970s.

According to a 2009 interview with actor Wesley Eure, who had met the movie producer during the 1970s, Hunter met his partner Jacques Mapes during a private party sometime in the 1940s. Hunter, at that time, was involved with Errol Flynn, and Mapes, with Tyrone Power.

Began his career as a school teacher.

Some sources, including film historian Leslie Halliwell as well as the World Almanac, cite Hunter's year of birth as 1921. Others, including The Film Encyclopedia (Katz) and The Encyclopedia of Film (Monaco/Baseline) cite it as 1916. The New York Times' obituary article on Hunter, which appeared in that newspaper's 12 March 1996 issue, cited his age at death as 75--that would define Hunter's date of birth as 6 May 1920.