Sydney Pollack Dies of Cancer At 73

Memorable acting roles included Tootsie, Husbands and Wives, and last year's Michael Clayton. Pollack's many producing credits include three films by the late Anthony Minghella, with whom he partnered in Mirage Entertainment.

Pollack spoke of his preference for working with big stars in an interview with New York Times in 1982.

"Stars are like thoroughbreds," he said. "Yes, it's a little more dangerous with them. They are more temperamental. You have to be careful because you can be thrown. But when they do what they do best -- whatever it is that's made them a star -- it's really exciting."

Sometimes, he added, "if you have a career like mine, which is so identified with Hollywood, with big studios and stars, you wonder if maybe you shouldn't go off and do what the world thinks of as more personal films with lesser-known people. But I think I've fooled everybody. I've made personal films all along. I just made them in another form."

- LA Times