9 7 6 . ▁His ▁projects ▁at ▁Universal ▁included ▁a ▁wide - r anging ▁variety ▁of ▁box ▁office ▁and ▁critical ▁success , ▁including ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁film ▁American ▁Gra ff iti , ▁J aws ▁( 1 9 7 5 ), ▁Sm o key ▁and ▁the ▁Band it ▁( 1 9 7 7 ), ▁The ▁De er ▁Hunter ▁( 1 9 7 8 ), ▁Mel vin ▁and ▁Howard ▁( 1 9 8 0 ) ▁and ▁Miss ing ▁( 1 9 8 2 ). ▁His ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁films ▁set ▁an ▁industry ▁box ▁office ▁the atr ical ▁rent als ▁record ▁of ▁$ 2 9 0 ▁million , ▁with ▁releases ▁including ▁Co al ▁Min er ' s ▁D augh ter , ▁The ▁Blues ▁Brothers ▁and ▁Sm o key ▁and ▁the ▁Band it ▁II , ▁and ▁the ▁record ▁was ▁sur pass ed ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁He ▁res igned ▁from ▁Universal ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁article ▁in ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times , ▁Tan en ▁described ▁how ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁biggest ▁box ▁office ▁gross ing ▁films ▁take ▁on ▁a ▁life ▁of ▁their ▁own , ▁describing ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁film ▁Animal ▁House ▁was ▁a ▁surprise , ▁acknowled ging ▁that ▁" All ▁we ▁did ▁was ▁make ▁a ▁picture ▁about ▁college ▁frat ern ity ▁life ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ". ▁ ▁He ▁had ▁left ▁Universal ▁saying ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁leave ▁" the ▁Hollywood ▁game " ▁and ▁established ▁Channel ▁Produ