Faculty Retirement: Oscar Winner's Exit Cue

We here at CA are deeply saddened by the second faculty passing in as many weeks. Sydney Pollack, the Oscar-winning director of Tootsie and Out of Africa, passed away in Los Angeles this afternoon. Pollack was a force in the film world for over 40 years. Over the course of his ten month battle with cancer, he saw his contributions as an actor and a producer earn Michael Clayton seven Oscar nominations. Pollack's vibrant personality shone through in even the smallest of roles (see his Ari-bashing cameo in season 4 of Entourage), and we will forever admire his charisma, versatility, and endless dedication to the medium. Michael Clayton himself, George Clooney, said, “Sydney made the world a little better, movies a little better and even dinner a little better. A tip of the hat to a class act." We couldn't agree more.