Walter Mirisch, Oscar-winning producer, dead at 101
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says Oscar winning film producer Walter Mirisch has died at age 101
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Walter Mirisch, the astute and Oscar winning film producer who oversaw such classics as “Some Like It Hot,” “West Side Story” and “In the Heat of the Night,” has died of natural causes, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Saturday. He was 101.
Mirisch died on Friday in Los Angeles, according to a statement from the academy's CEO Bill Kramer and its president Janet Yang.
“Walter was a true visionary, both as a producer and as an industry leader,” they said, noting he had served as academy president and an academy governor for many years. "His passion for filmmaking and the Academy never wavered, and he remained a dear friend and advisor. We send our love and support to his family during this difficult time.”
Mirisch received the best picture Academy Award for 1967's "In the Heat of the Night," and the company run by him and his brothers also produced the best-picture Oscar winners "The Apartment" and "West Side Story."
