Oscar-nominated director Mark Rydell dies aged 97
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Mark Rydell, the Oscar-nominated director of On Golden Pond and The Rose, has died of natural causes in Los Angeles aged 97, Bette Midler announced. The new report adds that he also directed For The Boys, and traces his move from television acting and directing into a long film career defined by working closely with major performers.
Born in New York City in 1929, Rydell began as an actor before directing television dramas including Ben Casey, I Spy and Gunsmoke. His films included The Fox, The Reivers, The Cowboys, Cinderella Liberty and The River; On Golden Pond earned him an Oscar nomination and won Academy Awards for Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn and its adapted screenplay.
- Mark Rydell has died aged 97 in Los Angeles.
- Midler announced his death and praised his directing.
- His career spanned television and acclaimed star-led films.
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Mark Rydell was an American film and television director whose career spanned several decades from the early years of US television to major Hollywood films. He first worked as an actor, then moved behind the camera, directing episodes of dramas including Ben Casey, I Spy and Gunsmoke.
He became known for films centred on strong performances by established actors, including The Rose, The Cowboys, Cinderella Liberty and The River. His work often involved collaborations with prominent stars, and he also directed Bette Midler in The Rose and For The Boys.
On Golden Pond, released in 1981, was among his best-known films and brought him an Academy Award nomination for directing. The film starred Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn, who both won Oscars for their performances, while its screenplay also received an Academy Award.
More coverage
- Variety — Mark Rydell, ‘On Golden Pond’ and ‘The Rose’ Director, Dies at 97
- The Hollywood Reporter — Mark Rydell, Oscar-Nominated Director of ‘On Golden Pond,’ Dies at 97
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Originally published by Deadline as “Mark Rydell Dies: Oscar-Nominated ‘On Golden Pond’, ‘The Rose’ Director Was 97”.