Matinee Classics - Sydney Pollack Biography & Filmography

Sydney Pollack DIRECTOR

PHOTOS

SYDNEY POLLACK BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Sydney Pollack is one of the few Hollywood figures who excelled both in front of and behind the camera. A true multitalented man, he won two Oscars and four more nominations for his directorial work, but also earned a great reputation as one of the best actors to work with. As well as acting and directing, he found himself involved in film production during his career, which has lasted over forty years.

Pollack was born July 1, 1934 in Lafayette, Indiana to a family of first generation American Jews from Russia. The family moved to South Bend when he was young, and shortly after his parents divorced. When he was only sixteen, his alcoholic mom tragically died. While his father always wanted him to be a dentist, Pollack developed a love for theater while in high school. After graduating, he moved to New York to study acting with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He went into the army for two years, and then returned to the school to teach acting. Pollack also began appearing a fair number of television shows like “Playhouse 90” (1959), “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” (1960), and “Have Gun-Will Travel” (1961). Shortly after, he started directing television. His directorial debut was with the series “Shotgun Slade” (1961), and he continued to direct various TV programs, including “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour” (1962-63), “Ben Casey” (1962-63), and “Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre” (1963-65). The latter turned out to be the last show he would direct.

In 1962 Pollack jumped onto the big screen as an actor with a part in the Robert Redford Korean War drama “War Hunt”. He appeared in two more shows, “The New Breed” (1961-62) and “Brenner” (1959-64), and then took a break from his career on screen to focus on directing. His first picture came the next year – the Oscar nominated suspense drama that followed a volunteer for a suicide hotline as he remains on the phone with a caller as she slowly dies from an overdose, titled “The Slender Thread” (1965). Pollack’s following film, “This Property Is Condemned” (1966), marked the first of seven collaborations he would have with old friend and actor Robert Redford. The feature was trailed by “The Scalphunters” (1968), “The Swimmer” (1968), and “Castle Keep” (1969). His next film won him his first Oscar nomination. “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”(1969) was focused on a Depression-era dance competition that results in murder, and starred Jane Fonda.

“Jeremiah Johnson” (1972), a western drama, came before another hit, a traditional love story pairing Redford and Barbara Streisand called “The Way We Were” (1973). He added producer to his repertoire with his next film, the unpopular Japanese action flick “Yakuza” (1974). Pollack found much more success with his subsequent feature, the suspense thriller “Three Days of the Condor” (1975). He directed and produced a couple more titles, such as “Bobby Deerfield” (1977) and “Absence of Malice” (1981), before coming out with one of his most famed works: “Tootsie” (1982).

“Tootsie”, starring Dustin Hoffman as an out of work actor who disguises himself as a woman to boost his career, delighted and entertained audiences, even going on to earn ten Academy Award nominations. In addition, it marked his return to acting, exemplified the performing range of Hoffman, and brought feminist issues out of the closet for all of its viewers to see.

With his next film, Pollack would finally get the Oscar win he had been working for. “Out of Africa” (1985), starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, was an epic romance about a Danish coffee plantation owner in Africa and her love affairs with a hunter. It won both Best Director and Best Picture at the Academy Awards, on top of five other wins and four nods. Unfortunately, he followed up the mega hit with a notorious failure, a “Casablanca” (1942) inspired drama, “Havana” (1990). He found success at the box office with his next feature however, an adaptation of a bestselling John Grisham legal thriller starring Tom Cruise and titled “The Firm” (1993). He directed the comedic “Sabrina” (1995) after, followed by the Harrison Ford drama “Random Hearts” (1999).

Throughout the nineties he made himself busy as more than just a director, as he had many jobs acting and producing. He could be seen in light comedy shows like “Frasier” (1994), as well as dark thrilling pictures like “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999). The director also produced quite a few movies, including “Sense and Sensibility” (1995), “Sliding Doors” (1998), and “The Talented Mr. Ripley” (1999). In the twenty first century he only directed two pictures, the Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn mystery thriller “The Interpreter” (2005) and a documentary on an architect called “Sketches of Frank Gehry” (2005), but he continued in his acting and production endeavors. He appeared in the business drama “Changing Lanes” (2002) with Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson, guest starred on “Will and Grace” from 2000 to 2006, appeared on “Entourage” (2007) and “The Sopranos” (2007), and was last seen in the George Clooney crime drama “Michael Clayton” (2008) and Patrick Dempsey comedy “Made of Honor” (2008). As for his production career, he worked on many projects like “Birthday Girl” (2001), “Cold Mountain” (2003), “Breaking and Entering” (2006), “Leatherheads” (2008), and most recently, “Margaret” (2011).

Sadly, the filmmaker was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2007. A year later on May 26, 2008, he passed away while in his Los Angeles home, but was surrounded by family. He left behind his wife of fifty years, Claire Griswold, and their three children. However, Pollack also left behind his great memory. He has multiple awards in his name, not limited to a Hollywood Film Award for producing and a Board of the Governors Award from the American Society of Cinematographers.

Filmography

2011 Margaret

2008 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

2008 The Reader

2008 Recount

2008 Leatherheads

2008 Great Performances

2008 Made of Honor

2007 Michael Clayton

2007 Entourage

2007 The Sopranos

2006 American Masters