Sad news from the movie world today:

Sydney Pollack - a director, producer and actor - died on Monday of cancer at his Pacific Palisades' home. He was 73.

Pollack befriended Robert Redford after the former moved from New York theater to the big screen in the 1960s to direct television; he'd go on to direct Redford in seven films.

Most famously, Pollack was behind the camera for Tootsie, starring Dustin Hoffman, in 1982. The movie earned 10 Academy Award nominations. His other movies included The Interpreter in 2005 starring Nicole Kidman and he produced The Talented Mr. Ripley in 1999, which starred Matt Damon.

More recently, Pollack produced and had a role in Michael Clayton, starring George Clooney, Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson; while also working with Patrick Dempsey in Made of Honor, in which he plays Dempsey's father.

Pollack is survived by his wife, Claire, daughters Rebecca and Rachel, his brother Bernie, and six grandchildren.