Director John Guillermin has passed away. Guillermin, who was responsible for classic movies like "King Kong" and "Towering Inferno," died from a heart attack in his Los Angeles home on Sunday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. His friend Nick Redman and his wife Mary confirmed his death. He was 89 years old.
"His movies speak for themselves, and also for him, for he is there, living inside them, his personality tumbling out in every reel," Redman wrote on Facebook. "Farewell, sir, you were one of a kind-and your like will not ever come again."
His wife, Mary, also confirmed the news on her own Facebook, according to The Irish Examiner. "Please know that my dear husband, John Guillermin, director, died suddenly on Sunday September 28, just a few weeks short of his 90th birthday," she wrote. "Sadly, but proudly, I am Mary Guillermin, widow of a wonderful man-sensitive and passionate, full of a fierce rapture himself."
The British filmmaker was best known for many other big-budget films, including "El Condor," "The Blue Max," "Shaft in Africa," "Death on the Nile," "Sheena" and the sequel "King Kong Lives," according to The Wrap. He has worked with many big-name actors like Jessica Lange, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Mia Farrow and Jeff Bridges.
"The Towering Inferno" was an Academy Award nominee for best picture and ended up winning for original song, film editing and cinematography, according to Variety. Cast members Fred Astaire and Susan Flannery also won Golden Globes for their roles in the disaster classic.
Guillermin is survived by his wife and daughter
In memory of John Guillermin: here is a brief excerpt from his last filmed interview in January, 2012 for the BAFTA-LA...
Posted by Nick Redman on Tuesday, September 29, 2015
