Beltmann Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Director Sydney Pollack dies at 73 in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES - Academy Award-winning director Sydney Pollack, a Hollywood mainstay who achieved commercial success and critical acclaim with the gender-bending comedy "Tootsie" and the period drama "Out of Africa," has died. He was 73. Pollack died of cancer Monday afternoon at his home in Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, surrounded by family, said publicist Leslee Dart. Pollack had been diagnosed with cancer about nine months ago, said Dart. Pollack, who occasionally appeared on the screen himself, worked with and gained the respect of Hollywood's best actors in a long career that reached prominence in the 1970s and 1980s. "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," George Clooney said in a statement from his publicist. "He'll be missed terribly," Clooney said. Last fall, he played Marty Bach opposite Clooney in "Michael Clayton," a drama that examines a law firm's fixer. The film, which Pollack co-produced, received seven Oscar nominations, including for best picture and a best actor nod for Clooney. Tilda Swinton won the Oscar for supporting actress. Pollack was no stranger to the Academy Awards. In 1986, "Out of Africa" a romantic epic of a woman's passion set against the landscape of colonial Kenya, captured seven Oscars, including best director. In accepting his Oscar, Pollack commended Meryl Streep, who was nominated for best actress but didn't win. "I could not have made this movie without Meryl Streep," Pollack said. "She is astounding Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Oh, damn. RIP. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" is a top 20 all-timer for me. RIP Mr. Pollack. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mpolak21 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 I just watched Woody Allen's Husbands and Wives a few days ago. Sad to see this news. --Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tugmoose Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 He was one of the good ones. R.I.P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sunken mountain Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 One of the best,actor,director,producer.We have Out of Africa forever. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Well, crap. R.I.P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Perm Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Sad news . . . R.I.P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PopTodd Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 He was one of the good ones. R.I.P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the carlos Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 I was sorry to hear this last night. So many good films. I'm a big fan of Jeremiah Johnson. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GtrPlyr Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Another of the great ones gone . I loved a lot of his work, including some of his acting roles (Husbands and Wives in particular.) He's going to be sorely missed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Cousin Tupelo Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 3 Days of the Condor was a super-cool movie. I wasn't as thrilled with Tootsie as most, but loved his performance as the agent, his over the top befuddlement. Definitely will be missed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uncool2pillow Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 He was good in serious roles like "Eyes Wide Shut" (one of the few things I liked in that movie, rare for Kubrick) and in comedic roles as well. His acting in "Tootsie" is as good as his direction. He really got a lot out of Bill Murray in a small role too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Edie Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 A "Sidney Pollack film" was one that I would go out of my way to see, because even if the subject didn't appeal that much to me, I knew it would be well made. RIP indeed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Great director and a very good character actor also. Sad indeed. Life is too short. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmait Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 >I loved a lot of his work, including some of his acting roles (Husbands and Wives in particular.) That's the movie that immediately came to mind when the news broke. Great scene when he freaks out at the girlfriend talking nonsense at the party. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 That's the movie that immediately came to mind when the news broke. Great scene when he freaks out at the girlfriend talking nonsense at the party.Yes, everything about that performance is spot-on perfect! Him eating healthy and watching a stupid movie. Next thing he's breaking into his wife's house asking her to take him back. Awesome. He was great in Eyes Wide Shut, too.RIP Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GtrPlyr Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Yes, everything about that performance is spot-on perfect! Him eating healthy and watching a stupid movie. Next thing he's breaking into his wife's house asking her to take him back. Awesome. He was great in Eyes Wide Shut, too.RIPThere's so many great scenes and lines in that film. I like the scene where Pollack is exiting the cinema with his girlfriend having just seen Kurosawa's Ran: "Trust me. It's King Lear. Shakespeare never wrote about a King Leo." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 There's so many great scenes and lines in that film. I like the scene where Pollack is exiting the cinema with his girlfriend having just seen Kurosawa's Ran: "Trust me. It's King Lear. Shakespeare never wrote about a King Leo." And doesn't she reply with something like "Duh - Shakespeare wasn't Japanese"? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moltisanti Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 I don't know if it was his final work, but his turn as the prisoner/cancer doctor in that Sopranos episode was amazing. But I will always remember him as Michael Dorsey's frustrated agent. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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