Oscar-winning ?lm director Sydney Pollack, 73, has passed away in Los Angeles, according to his publicist, Leslee Dart. He had been suffering from cancer.
Pollack was best known for directing They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, with Jane Fonda; Tootsie, with Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange; and Out of Africa, with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. He won his Oscar for Out of Africa.
He often appeared in front of the camera and was a familiar face to moviegoers, most recently appearing in Made of Honor as star Patrick Dempsey’s screen father. On the small screen he had guest-starred on Will & Grace.
Actor George Clooney issued a statement, saying, ‘Sydney made the world a little better, movies a little better and even dinner a little better. A tip of the hat to a class act.’
Born in Lafayette, Indiana, Pollack—the son of ?rst-generation Russian–Americans—began an acting career in New York and was a contemporary of Martin Landau, who also issued a tribute.
By the early 1960s, Pollack began directing television programmes, including episodes of Ben Casey.
He was also a proli?c producer, often working with Anthony Minghella. Pollack’s hits included Presumed Innocent, the Sabrina remake and The Talented Mr Ripley.
Pollack is survived by his wife Claire, daughters Rebecca and Rachel, his brother Bernie and six grandchildren.
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