Norman Jewison, the Oscar-nominated director behind "In the Heat of the Night," "Moonstruck," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Jesus Christ Superstar," has died.
variety.com
Oscar-nominated film director and producer
Norman Jewison, who steered the 1967 racial drama “In the Heat of the Night” to a best picture Oscar and also helmed such popular films as “Moonstruck,” “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” and “The Thomas Crown Affair,” as well as film musicals “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Jesus Christ Superstar,” died Saturday at his Los Angeles residence. He was 97.
His film career began with
fluffy Doris Day comedies like “The Thrill of It All.” But Jewison’s social conscience began to surface with “In the Heat of the Night” and, later, the labor union drama “F.I.S.T.” and other films focusing on racial tensions such as “A Soldier’s Story” and “The Landlord” (the latter of which he only produced), though he never abandoned comedies and romances.
“The Thrill of It All.” was the movie that aired in '63 at Radio City Music Hall during one of my visits to NYC. I was 9 years old but remember that movie like it was yesterday!
"In the Heat of the Night" won 5 Academy Awards.*
*"Best Director" went to Mike Nichols that year for "The Graduate"
Worth the read:
en.wikipedia.org
97 is a very good run........