TORONTO (CelebrityAccess) — Norman Jewison, the Oscar-winning Canadian director whose films include classics such as “In the Heat of the Night” and “Fiddler on the Roof,” has died. He was 97.
A spokesman for Jewison’s family said that he died at his home on Saturday but declined to provide additional details, citing the family’s request for privacy.
A Toronto native, Jewison began his career as a scriptwriter in London before becoming an assistant director at Canada’s CBC Television when it went live in 1952.
Six years later, he succumbed to the pull of major American television studios, where he began directing shows such as The Andy Williams Show and Your Hit Parade for NBC.
In 1962, he ventured into film when he directed the Tony Curtis’ and Janet Leigh comedy “40 Pounds of Trouble” but his breakout didn’t come until 1965 when he directed Steve McQueen in the gambling drama The Cincinnati Kid.
In 1967, he directed “In The Heat of the Night” creating a cultural touchstone that examined issues of race and criminal justice in the U.S. The film, which starred Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger, told the story of a black homicide detective from Philadelphia who becomes embroiled in a murder case in a small town in Mississippi. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won five Best Picture and Best Actor for Steiger, who played the town’s sheriff.
Jewison went on to direct films such as the religious mystery Agnes of God, “Moonstruck, a romantic comedy starring Cher, and the romantic comedy “Other People’s Money.”
In addition to his work behind the camera, Jewison founded the Canadian Film Centre in Toronto in 1988, providing training, development, and advancement opportunities for professionals working in Canadian film and television.
At the time of his passing, Jewison was the Chair Emeritus of the CFC. His accolades also included multiple Academy Award nominations and wins, as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Directors Guilds of both Canada and America.
