Director – Producer Sydney Pollack Dead At Age 73

Prolific Director, Producer and Actor, Sydney Pollack died today at the age of 73, surrounded by his family in Los Angeles.

He most recently produced “Michael Clayton”, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards this year, including best picture, director and actor, winning for supporting actress Tilda Swinton. Pollack also appeared in the film. He also exec produced George Clooney’s “Leatherheads,” released in April.

Other recent acting credits included HBO’s “Entourage” and the Sony film “Made of Honor,” currently in theaters.

Pollack was an exec producer on HBO’s political docudrama about the 2000 presidential election, “Recount,” which premiered on Sunday night; he had been set to direct the film but had to withdraw due to illness.

An Oscar winner himself for “Out of Africa,” Pollack led 12 actors to Oscar-nominated performances, including Jane Fonda, Dustin Hoffman, Holly Hunter, Jessica Lange, Paul Newman, Meryl Streep and Barbra Streisand. Collectively, his feature films have received 48 Oscar nominations.

The Academy of Motion Picture President, Sid Ganis said: “The loss of Sydney to film artists and filmgoers around the world is enormous. We’ll be sad — and then we’ll remember his everlasting work and we’ll cherish the totality of his skills as the complete artist.”

Here is Sydney Pollack’s Oscar nominated and winning films:
2008
Nominated Oscar
Best Motion Picture of the Year for: Michael Clayton (2007)

1986
Won Oscar Best Director for: Out of Africa (1985)

Won Best Picture for: Out of Africa (1985)

1983
Nominated Oscar Best Director for: Tootsie (1982)

Best Picture for: Tootsie (1982)
Shared with:Dick Richards

1970
Nominated Oscar Best Director for: They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

Films as Director

1965: The Slender Thread

1966: This Property Is Condemned

1968: The Swimmer (Perry) (d one sequence only)

1968: The Scalphunters

1969: Castle Keep

1969: They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?;

1972: Jeremiah Johnson

1973: The Way We Were

1975: Three Days of the Condor

1975: The Yakuza (Brotherhood of the Yakuza) (+ pr)

1976: Bobby Deerfield (+ pr)

1979: The Electric Horseman

1981: Absence of Malice (+ pr)

1982: Tootsie (+ co-pr, role as George Fields)

1985: Out of Africa (+ pr)

1990: Havana (+ co-pr)

1993: The Firm (+ pr)

1995: Sabrina (+ pr)

1999: Random Hearts (+ pr, role)

2005: The Interpreter

2005: Sketches of Frank Gehry

There was something about Sydney Pollack that made you feel like he was one of your friends. He was a gifted filmmaker and I’ll miss him.

Photo: Fox News/AP

Posted: 2200PT 05/26/08
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