Mourners remember Sydney Pollack at service

Mourners remember Sydney Pollack at service

LOS ANGELES — Friends, family and show business colleagues gathered to remember late Oscar-winning director, producer and actor Sydney Pollack at a private memorial service, according to a person with knowledge of the service.

The person insisted on anonymity because the family wanted details of the service on Saturday to be kept private and the person was not authorized to release any information.

The 73-year-old director, producer and actor died of cancer May 26 while surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, according to his publicist, Leslee Dart. Pollack had been diagnosed with cancer about nine months ago.

Pollack won Academy Awards for best picture and best director for the 1985 epic “Out of Africa.” In a career spanning nearly five decades, he directed more than 20 films, including “The Firm,” “Havana” and “Absence of Malice.” The last film he directed was the 2006 documentary “Sketches of Frank Gehry.”

Pollack is survived by his wife, Claire; two daughters, a brother and six grandchildren. Pollack’s son, Steven, died in a plane crash in 1993.

Today’s birthdays

Country singer Billy “Crash” Craddock is 69. Songwriter Lamont Dozier is 67. Singer Eddie Levert of The O’Jays is 66. Actress Joan Van Ark is 65. Singer James Smith of The Stylistics is 58. Singer Gino Vannelli is 56. Actress Laurie Metcalf (“Roseanne,” “Norm”) is 53. Actor Eddie Cibrian (“Third Watch”) is 35. Actress China Shavers (“Boston Public”) is 31. “American Idol” runner-up Diana DeGarmo is 21.