Film News: Legendary Director Sidney Lumet Dies at 86

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CHICAGO – The entire film industry mourns the passing of one of its best directors, Sidney Lumet, who has left us at the age of 86. The Oscar-nominated director succumbed to Lymphoma after a career that spanned decades and generations, inspiring countless filmmakers, critics, and movie fans around the world.

To say that the career of Sidney Lumet was impressive would be a massive understatement. Very few filmmakers in history delivered at such a high caliber for so many years. For six decades, Lumet knocked it out of the park again and again. Even his misfires were usually more interesting than other filmmakers.

Lumet was nominated four times for the Oscar for Best Director (“12 Angry Men,” “Dog Day Afternoon,” “Network,” and “The Verdict”) and once for Best Screenplay (“Prince of the City”) but never took home the prize, winning an honorary statue in 2005.

Born in Philadelphia, Sidney Lumet started as an actor and director on the stage before moving into television by getting a job at CBS. He worked directing television plays for a few years before his breakthrough in 1957, “12 Angry Men.” The Henry Fonda vehicle is one of the most beloved films of its era and stands as one of the most impressive directorial debuts of all time.

With only a few career lulls, Sidney Lumet didn’t let up from there, directing quality films for six decades. Arguably his most influential period would come in the ’70s when he teamed with Al Pacino on “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Serpico” and followed those films up with the amazing “Network,” recently released on Blu-ray.

Other career highlights include “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” “The Pawnbroker,” “Prince of the City,” “The Verdict,” “Running on Empty,” “Q & A,” “Night Falls on Manhattan,” and “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.” There were certainly a few missteps along the way but the expanse of Sidney Lumet’s career from 1957’s “12 Angry Men” to 2007’s “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead” is something that will arguably never be matched.

Lumet is survived by his wife, stepdaughter Leslie Gimbel, stepson Bailey Gimble, daughters Amy Lumet and Jenny Lumet. He had nine grandchildren and a great grandson.

Source: The Wrap

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com