Sydney Pollack obit at E! Online.

Anyone who saw him in Tootsie knows how multi-talented this man was.

Legendary director, producer and actor Sydney Pollack died from cancer Monday evening at his home in Los Angeles. He was 73.

The filmmaker won Oscars for directing and producing 1985's Out of Africa. He picked up another Best Picture nod for coproducing last year's Michael Clayton, in which he also appeared opposite George Clooney.

"Sydney made the world a little better, movies a little better and even dinner a little better," Clooney said in a statement. "A tip of the hat to a class act. He'll be missed terribly."

Pollack's other Academy Award nominations came for producing and directing Tootsie (1982) and directing They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969).

His last onscreen role was playing father to Patrick Dempsey in Made of Honor, released earlier this month.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Claire Griswold, and daughters Rachel and Rebecca. The couple's only son, Steven, died in a 1993 plane crash.

I think his first film I saw was They Shoot Horses, Don't They? He was the thinking audience's director, certainly.

SRS