Jackie Burch dead: The Breakfast Club star dies aged 74 after heartbreaking cancer battle

Jackie Burch has died aged 74. She was best known for her work in Die Hard, Sixteen Candles, and The Breakfast Club. The prolific casting director died on October 12 in Atlanta on Sunday following a four month battle with endometrial cancer, her friend Gail Goldberg said in a statement obtained by Deadline. "We are heartbroken and in shock at the prospect of living without our vibrant, charming, funny, special, and incredibly loving mom. Her generous spirit touched so many lives - professionally and personally - and we are endlessly proud of the legacy she leaves behind," her family wrote in a statement.

The Newburgh, New York-born film, industry, professional made a mark early on in her career. She cast prominent early 80s motion pictures including 1983's DC Cab; Psycho II; and Smokey and the Bandit Part 3. Tributes have since poured in for the beloved casting director. Actor Timothy Stack remembered Burch on X as "a really nice, talented person who never stopped liking actors. RIP." Actress Jennifer Sears penned: "RIP to this legend and amazing soul! With passion and dedication, she helped so many artists achieve their dreams. She cast my favorite movie of all time (Coming to America) which inspired me at age 6 to become an actress, and then decades later cast me in the multi-award winning HBO film Bessie. Jackie holds a special place in my heart, and I'm truly grateful for her life and legacy. Rest well, dear sweet Jackie."

Burch colloborated on a number of coming of age teen films which included 1984's 16 candles and 1985's Weird Science; and The Breakfast Club, the latter of which showcased Brat Pack actors Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall and Ally Sheedy.

She worked on various films throughout the 1980s such as The Running Man, Dick Tracy, Coming to America, Three Amigos, Mask, 42, Hot Shots! Part Deux and Mafia.

In 1988, Burch cast Bruce Wills as John McClane in Die Hard, which grossed over $143 million in the global box office. She went on to cast its 1990 sequel Die Hard 2.

Throughout the 2010s, her casting work included The Hunger Games series, Iron Man 3, Hidden Figures and Bessie.

Her final project This Is The One They'll Remember Me By will be released in 2026.

Burch is survived by daughters Samy Burch, an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter; singer-songwriter Molly Burch who runs a nonprofit; sons-in-law Alex Mechanik and Dailey Toliver; and twin sister, Janice Papolos.

Her family is organising a memorial in the greater Los Angeles area with a date to be announced later.