Sydney Pollack
American director, producer, and actor of acclaimed studio films.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Sydney Pollack wore many hats in Hollywood—director, producer, and actor—over a career that lasted more than four decades. He was born on July 1, 1934, in Lafayette, Indiana, to Jewish immigrant parents. His father, David, worked as a pharmacist and semi-professional boxer; his mother, Rebecca, struggled with alcoholism and emotional problems. The family moved to South Bend, and his parents divorced when he was young. When Pollack was 16, his mother died at age 37.
After high school, he skipped college and medical school plans, heading to New York City at 17. From 1952 to 1954, he studied acting under Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse, working on a lumber truck between terms. Drafted into the army, he served two years as a truck driver at Fort Carson, Colorado, until 1958. He then returned to the Playhouse as Meisner’s assistant. In 1960, friend John Frankenheimer brought him to Los Angeles as a dialogue coach for child actors on *The Young Savages*. There, Burt Lancaster encouraged him to try directing.
Pollack’s first acting role was in the 1960 *Twilight Zone* episode “The Trouble with Templeton,” and his feature film acting debut came in Denis Sanders’s *War Hunt* (1962), where he met Robert Redford—who would star in seven of his films. He found early success directing TV episodes for shows like *The Fugitive* and *The Alfred Hitchcock Hour*. His directorial feature debut was *The Slender Thread* (1965).
Over his career, Pollack’s films earned 48 Academy Award nominations and 11 Oscars. His first Oscar nomination came for directing *They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?* (1969). He earned another directing nod for *Tootsie* (1982). For *Out of Africa* (1985), starring Meryl Streep and Redford, he won Oscars for both Best Director and Best Picture. Other notable films he directed include *This Property Is Condemned* (1966), *Jeremiah Johnson* (1972), *The Way We Were* (1973), *The Yakuza* (1974), *Three Days of the Condor* (1975), *Absence of Malice* (1981), *The Firm* (1993), and *Sabrina* (1995). He directed 12 actors to Oscar-nominated performances, including Jane Fonda, Barbra Streisand, Paul Newman, Jessica Lange, Dustin Hoffman, and Holly Hunter; Gig Young and Lange won Oscars for their roles in his films.
Pollack also acted regularly, especially from the 1990s onward, often playing corrupt or morally conflicted authority figures. He appear
- born
- July 1, 1934, Lafayette, Indiana
- died
- May 26, 2008, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles
- field
- Film director, producer, actor
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Directing Out of Africa, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, Tootsie; producing Michael Clayton
Lore & Background
Pollack was born in Lafayette, Indiana, to a family of Jewish immigrants. His parents divorced when he was young, and his mother died when he was 16. After high school, he left Indiana for New York City, studying acting with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse from 1952 to 1954. He served two years in the army as a truck driver, then returned to the Playhouse as Meisner's assistant. In 1960, John Frankenheimer brought him to Los Angeles as a dialogue coach for The Young Savages, where Burt Lancaster encouraged him to direct.
Pollack made his feature film acting debut in War Hunt (1962), meeting Robert Redford, who would star in seven of his films. He first found success directing television episodes in the 1960s, including The Fugitive and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. His directorial debut was The Slender Thread (1965). He won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for Out of Africa (1985), and was nominated for Best Director for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) and Tootsie (1982). His films received 48 Academy Award nominations and won 11 Oscars.
Pollack also acted in numerous films, including Tootsie (1982), Robert Altman's The Player (1992), Woody Allen's Husbands and Wives (1993), and Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut (1999). He produced and acted in Michael Clayton (2007), and co-founded the production company Mirage Enterprises with Anthony Minghella. He died from cancer at his home in Los Angeles on May 26, 2008, aged 73.
Reader's Guide
Sydney Pollack's significance lies in his ability to direct both commercially successful and critically respected studio films over four decades. His work earned 48 Academy Award nominations and 11 Oscars, including his own wins for Out of Africa. He directed 12 actors to Oscar-nominated performances, with two winning. Beyond directing, Pollack was a prolific producer of acclaimed films such as Sense and Sensibility, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Cold Mountain, and he maintained an active acting career, often playing morally conflicted authority figures. His legacy includes co-founding the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles and receiving the first Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking award from the Austin Film Festival. His moving image collection is housed at the Academy Film Archive.
Did You Know?
- Pollack won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for Out of Africa (1985).
- He directed 12 actors in Oscar-nominated performances, including Jane Fonda, Paul Newman, and Meryl Streep.
- Pollack co-founded the production company Mirage Enterprises with English director Anthony Minghella.
- His last acting role was as Patrick Dempsey's father in the 2008 romantic comedy Made of Honor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sydney Pollack?
Sydney Pollack was an American filmmaker born on July 1, 1934, in Lafayette, Indiana, to Jewish immigrant parents. He left for New York City at 17 to study acting and went on to build a career spanning more than four decades in front of and behind the camera.
What roles did Sydney Pollack play in Hollywood?
Pollack worked as a director, producer, and actor, giving him a rare three-pronged presence in the industry. He helmed major studio features, produced projects such as Michael Clayton, and took on supporting acting roles in various films.
What films is Sydney Pollack best known for?
His most celebrated directorial works include Out of Africa, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, and Tootsie, all of which earned him Academy Award recognition. As a producer, he is also widely associated with the legal thriller Michael Clayton.
How did Sydney Pollack's life end?
Pollack died on May 26, 2008, in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, at the age of 73. His passing closed a career that had touched virtually every major facet of American studio filmmaking.
Why is Sydney Pollack important to film history?
He is remembered as one of the most versatile American filmmakers of his generation, collecting multiple Oscars for both directing and producing. His fluid movement between creative and business sides of filmmaking made him a defining figure in mid-to-late twentieth-century Hollywood.
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