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Hollywood film veteranWalter Mirischhas died at 101 years old.
The legendary producer of 1961’sWest Side Storyand 1959’sSome Like It Hot, which starredMarilyn Monroe,died of natural causes, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences confirmed to ABC News on Saturday.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang honored Mirisch’s notable achievements in a joint statement:
“Walter was a true visionary, both as a producer and as an industry leader,” they said of the former Academy governor and president. “His passion for filmmaking and the Academy never wavered, and he remained a dear friend and advisor. We send our love and support to his family during this difficult time.”
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The New York-born film pioneer died in Los Angeles, perVariety, where he started off his career working as an usher at movie theaters before moving on to low-budget Westerns and action films in the late 1940s.
The longest-living Oscar winneris a recipient of theGolden Globes' prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award, which he was awarded in 1977, and he received theProducers Guild of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Motion Pictures in 1996.
Steven Spielberg shared a lengthy tribute to Mirisch withDeadline, noting what his character and mark on the industry meant to the writer, director and producer in his own achievements.
“Walter cut a gigantic figure in the film industry, and his movies were trailblazing classics that covered every genre, while never failing to entertain audiences around the world,” he said.
“He achieved so much in life and in the industry — if you live to be 101 and producedThe Apartment, I’d say it’s been a good run — and Walter remained both a gentleman and an ardent advocate of good films, while supporting multiple generations of dedicated filmmakers,” he added.
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“Above all, he knew a good story when he found one, and fought tooth and nail to get it on the screen. He loved the Academy as much as anyone in our history, serving four terms as President. I cherished our lunches in the Universal Commissary over the years and he was as generous with his advice as he was with his friendship. I’m both a better director and a better person for having known Walter.”
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Mirisch, a Harvard Business alum and University of Wisconsin, Madison graduate, also produced classics such asPink Panther(1963),Hawaiiwith Julie Andrews (1966),Dracula(1979), andFiddler on the Roof(1971).
The Allied Artists head formed The Mirisch Co. in 1957 with his older brothers, then signed a distribution deal with United Artists, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.The company went on to produce 67 films and racked up a total of 28 Academy Awards.
Speaking toVarietyin 2015 of his time in the Golden Age of Hollywood, Mirisch said it was mostly all work, in addition to time at home for the family man:
“I got married quickly and soon after that I became a father,” he said. “And besides, I was making pictures likeBomba the Jungle Boy. I really wasn’t making very much money, so we weren’t going out to the Mocambo every night!”
source: people.com
