British movie legend Sir Alan Parker dies at 76
TRIBUTES poured in for British movie director Sir Alan Parker who died following a long illness aged 76.
He was acclaimed for a string of films which included Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning, Evita and Bugsy Malone. He won six Oscars, 19 Baftas and 10 Golden Globes.
Director David Putnam, 79, said: “Alan was my oldest and closest friend, I was always in awe of his talent. My life and those of many others who loved and respected him will never be the same again.” Fellow director Nick Murphy described Sir Alan as a “huge talent” who “made so many wonderful movies. Just wonderful.”
Bafta officials tweeted that they were “deeply saddened” to hear of his death.
Sir Alan was born in Islington, north London, on February 14, 1944, and began his career in advertising as a copywriter.
He wrote and directed his first feature film, Bugsy Malone, in 1975 with a cast of children as gangsters. Midnight Express, won two Oscars, six Golden Globes and four Baftas.When he accepted the BaftaAcademy Fellowship Award in 2013, he said: “I do like to do different things each time.”
But two years later, Sir Alan announced he was finished with the film industry, saying: “I’ve been directing since I was 24, and every day was a battle, every day it was difficult.”
In 2018, he donated his collection of scripts to the British Film Institute.
He is survived by wife Lisa, children Alexander, Lucy, Jake, Nathan and Henry, and seven grandchildren.