Sunday, April 10, 2011

Sidney Lumet Dies At Age 86


Another Hollywood legend has gone. This time it's director Sidney Lumet, who died Saturday of lymphoma at his home in Manhattan. He was 86.

A highly-respectable filmmaker famous for portraying gritty undertones of New York City, he earned four Oscar nominations for Best Director throughout his illustrious career. That included 12 ANGRY MEN (1957), DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975), NETWORK (1976) and THE VERDICT (1982). His last two directed movies were FIND ME GUILTY (2006) and BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOW YOU'RE DEAD (2007).

Lumet was married four times, first to actress Rita Gam, second to socialite Gloria Vanderbilt, and third to Gail Jones, daughter of Lena Horne. His fourth marriage was Mary Gimbel, who survives him, in 1980 and had two daughters with Gail Jones, Amy Lumet and screenwriter Jenny Lumet, who penned the Anne Hathaway-starring drama RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (2008). Apart from his four Best Director Oscar nominations, he was also nominated once for Best Adapted Screenplay in PRINCE AND THE CITY (1981) and was awarded an honorary Academy Award at the 2004 Oscars.