Filmmaker Norman Jewison Passes Away

Filmmaker Norman Jewison Passes Away

Award-winning film director Norman Jewison has died at the age of 97, his spokesperson announced. The Canadian gained recognition in the late 1960s for the Oscar-winning drama “In the Heat of the Night.”

Norman Jewison, director of acclaimed films such as “In the Heat of the Night” (1967), “Fiddler on the Roof” (1971), “Moonstruck” (1987), and “The Hurricane” (1999), has passed away. Jewison died “peacefully” at his home on Saturday, according to his spokesperson. The native Canadian was 97 years old.

Throughout his illustrious career, Jewison received seven Oscar nominations as a director and producer. In 1999, he was honored with the Irving G. Thalberg Award at the Academy Awards for his lifetime achievement.

Jewison began his Hollywood career in 1962, directing several comedies featuring stars like Doris Day and Tony Curtis. For his racial drama “In the Heat of the Night,” Jewison cast Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. The film received five Oscars in 1968, including Best Picture.

Berlinale Award for “Moonstruck”

After musicals like “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Jewison achieved success in 1987 with the romantic comedy “Moonstruck,” which earned Cher the Academy Award for Best Actress. Jewison received the directing prize at the Berlinale for this romantic story set in the Italian immigrant community.

In 2000, at the Berlinale, Jewison presented the drama “The Hurricane” featuring lead actor Denzel Washington, which depicted the life of professional boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter. “The Statement” marked his final film in 2003, in which Michael Caine portrayed a French Nazi collaborator and war criminal haunted by his past after decades.