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Sydney Pollack Facts

Sydney Pollack Facts
Sydney Pollack was an American film actor, and Academy Award winning director and producer. He was born Sydney Irwin Pollack on July 1st, 1934, in Lafayette, Indiana to Rebecca Miller and David Pollack. His parents moved them to South Bend and divorced while he was a child. After finishing high school at 17, Sydney left for New York City and studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He spent two years in the army, and then returned to the Playhouse as Sanford Meisner's assistant. Sydney was invited to Los Angeles to work as a dialogue coach for a young actor and Burt Lancaster encouraged him to try directing.
Interesting Sydney Pollack Facts:
In 1961 Sydney Pollack directed am episode of The Twilight Zone.
In the 1960s Sydney Pollack began achieving success directing episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and The Fugitive for television.
Sydney Pollack's film debut as a director was in The Slender Thread in 1965.
Sydney Pollack was nominated for an Oscar for his work on the 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
In 1982 Sydney Pollack was nominated for another Oscar for the film Tootsie.
In 1985 Sydney Pollack won an Oscar for the film Out of Africa for producing and directing.
12 actors were nominated for Oscars while working for Sydney Pollack on his films, including Jane Fonda, Barbra Streisand, Paul Newman, Jessica Lange, Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, and Holly Hunter, among others. Jessica Lange and Gig Young were the only ones to win.
During the filming of Tootsie Sydney Pollack and Dustin Hoffman were known to argue a lot, which transferred into their on screen conflict when Pollack played the role of Hoffman's agent.
In the 1990s Sydney Pollack began acting again. He appeared in The Player, Eyes Wide Shut, A Civil Action, Changing Lanes, Random Hearts, The Interpreter, Husbands and Wives, and Death Becomes Her.
The last film that Sydney Pollack acted in was the 2008 film Made of Honor. This film was in theatres when Pollack died.
Sydney Pollack appeared regularly on Will & Grace, playing Will's father.
Sydney Pollack appeared on Just Shoot Me, Mad About You, Entourage, and The Sopranos.
On October 21st, 2006, Sydney Pollack received the first annual Austin Film Festival Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking award.
Sydney Pollack produced many successful films including The Talented Mr. Ripley, and The Fabulous Baker Boys.
Sydney Pollack starred with George Clooney in the film Michael Clayton. He was nominated for an Oscar for his producer role for Best Picture.
Sydney Pollack won an Oscar for producing the film The Reader, after he had died.
Sydney Pollack had been nominated for several Emmy awards during his career. He won two, for producing and for directing.
In 2007 Sydney's health came into question when he withdrew from his directing role on Recount.
Recount aired on May 25th, 2008.
Sydney Pollack died on May 26th, 2008, at his home in L.A. he reportedly died of cancer.
Sydney Pollack was married to Claire Griswold from 1958 until the time of his death.


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