He served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was involved in the production and direction of numerous films throughout his career, including The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The Odd Couple (1968), Airplane!

[3] He began his film career as an employee at Universal Studios office in New York then made his Hollywood filmmaking debut in 1947 as an assistant director.

[4] Among his numerous television productions, Howard W. Koch produced the Academy Awards show on eight occasions.

Howard W. Koch suffered from Alzheimer's disease and died in at his home in Beverly Hills, California on February 16, 2001.

[7] In 2004, his son Hawk Koch was elected to the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.