Canadian filmmaker led Oscars organization from 1993 to 1997
by Joe Otterson, TheWrap.com | August 17, 2016 @ 11:25 AM
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Arthur Hiller, the former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the director of “Love Story,” died on Wednesday at the age of 92.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved friend Arthur Hiller,” current Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said. “I was a member of the Board during his presidency and fortunate enough to witness firsthand his dedication to the Academy and his lifelong passion for visual storytelling. Our condolences go out to his loved ones.”
A member and longtime governor of the Directors Branch, Hiller served as Academy president from 1993 to 1997. He also served as president of the Directors Guild of America from 1989 to 1993.
“As Guild president, Arthur was a warm and nurturing father figure who was deeply concerned with the personal and professional well-being of every one of our members,” DGA president Paris Barclay said.
“Whether lobbying on Capitol Hill for the artistic integrity of filmmakers worldwide, negotiating with the studios to secure health and pension provisions for our families, or establishing the first committee to advance opportunities for women and minorities, Arthur’s passion was exemplary and inspiring,” he continued. “Our Guild is stronger because of him, and our hearts go out to his family at this difficult time.”
Hiller was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 1923 and began his career in film and television in the mid-1950s. His movie credits include “The Americanization of Emily,” the Oscar-nominated “Love Story,” “The Hospital,” “The In-Laws,” “Silver Streak” and “The Man in the Glass Booth.”
Hiller was also a noted television director early in his career, having been nominated for an Emmy in 1962 for his work directing the series “Naked City.” He also directed episodes of Thriller, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke, and Playhouse 90.
In 2001, he was honored with the Academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his philanthropic commitment to numerous charitable organizations, educational institutions and civil rights groups.
Hiller’s wife of seven decades, Gwen, passed away in June, also at the age of 92. The two had been married since 1948. They had two children and two grandchildren.
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