Movie producer Elon Dershowitz, known for the films Fallen and Reversal of Fortune, passed away on Sunday at age 64 after suffering a stroke, Deadline reported. The deceased was the son of author and famed attorney Alan Dershowitz, who represented President Donald Trump during his first impeachment.
"The Dershowitz Family is heartbroken to share that Elon had a stroke and passed away peacefully, having donated his organs, on August 17, 2025. He was surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by his father Alan and his stepmother Carolyn," Elon Dershowitz's obituary read.
The tragic passing of Elon Dershowitz was likely a shock to the 86-year-old attorney. However, Alan Dershowitz curiously reposted articles about his son's death rather than a tribute. On Tuesday, Alan Dershowitz posted the Zoom link to his son's funeral service on X, formerly Twitter with the caption simply describing the time and event, "11:00 Livestream for Elon’s funeral service."
11:00 Livestream for Elon’s funeral service:https://t.co/bzV9lUDwdm
— Alan Dershowitz (@AlanDersh) August 19, 2025
Elon Dershowitz had an impressive career, including the distinction of making the 1990 film Reversal of Fortune that garnered actor Jeremy Irons his only Oscar win. The film was based on a true-crime nonfiction book written by his father, Alan Dershowitz, with the script penned by Nicholas Kazan.
The book and film were based on the case of British attorney Claus von Bülow, who was convicted of attempting to kill his wife in 1982. She survived but was left in a persistent vegetative state. Following his book and the film, von Bülow hired Alan Dershowitz for his appeal, which resulted in a not guilty verdict.
The part of Alan Dershowitz was played by veteran actor Ron Silver. "He brought it to Hollywood," and the proud father said at the time, happy to share that the film was his son's idea. Kazan and director Barbet Schroeder would also win an Oscar for the film.
"He went around shopping it. He persuaded the company to do it. He helped pick the stars. He was a very important part of that film," Alan Dershowitz recalled. Elon Dershowitz also served as executive producer in 1998's star-studded thriller Fallen, featuring Denzel Washington, John Goodman, and Donald Sutherland.
Other assistant producer credits for the younger Dershowitz include Oliver Stone's 1987 classic Wall Street and Talk Radio in 1988. Elon Dirshowitz turned his father's book, The Advocate’s Devil, into a film and produced Pete Rose on Trial, Whose Curse Is Worse: Red Sox and Cubs on Trial, and Break Up the Bombers: Yankees on Trial for ESPN.
Elon Dershowitz didn't follow in his famous father's footsteps, which eventually led to his defense of Trump during the 2020 impeachment. Harvard Law School, where Alan Dershowitz has taught since 1964, noted that the professor used solid arguments based on the Constitution to stop the impeachment that sought to throw Trump out of office in the waning days of his administration.
Nevertheless, the father and son enjoyed strong family ties. Elon Dershowitz's passing was sudden, but it wasn't the first time his father had to grapple with losing him. When he was just 10 years old, Elon Dershowitz was diagnosed with a brain tumor that doctors said would be fatal before he reached his 13th birthday, a milestone marked by a Bar Mitzvah in his Jewish faith.
It was a major blow to Alan Dershowitz at the time. According to The New Yorker, Alan Dershowitz was in Palo Alto on sabbatical in December 1971, attempting to write a book when his son was diagnosed. He was obsessed with finding a cure for his son's illness. "I couldn’t concentrate on my book," he recalled about the time in his life.
"My marriage, which had been suffering for several years even before our trip to California, was now in deep trouble," Alan Dershowitz said. Although he indeed lost his marriage to his first wife, Sue, who is Elon Dershowitz's mother, the son pulled through and lived another 54 years.
Alan Dershowitz is a prominent attorney and cultural figure, but tragedy touched his family just the same with Elon Dershowitz's sudden death. No matter how old they get, losing a child is a heartbreaking event for any parent to suffer, especially when it is so quick.
