Silence Of The Lambs director Jonathan Demme, 73

Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme has died at the age of 73.

The film-maker, who won an Academy Award for Silence Of The Lambs in 1991, had been battling oesophageal cancer.

His publicist told the Press Association: “Sadly, I can confirm that Jonathan passed away early this morning in his Manhattan apartment, surrounded by his wife, Joanne Howard, and three children.”

Demme also directed Philadelphia and Rachel Getting Married, as well as the 2004 remake of the Manchurian Candidate.

His most recent project was a Justin Timberlake concert film, Justin Timberlake And The Tennessee Kids, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

Timberlake hailed Demme as a “genius” and said the director’s landmark 1984 concert movie, Stop Making Sense featuring Talking Heads, changed the way he wanted to see live music.

The Silence Of The Lambs was the third film in history to win Academy Awards in all the top five categories of best picture, actor, actress, director and adapted screenplay, and following its success Demme made Philadelphia starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington – one of the first Hollywood films to tackle the Aids crisis.

Hanks, who won an Oscar for his performance in Philadelphia, told the Press Association “Jonathan taught us how big a heart a person can have, and how it will guide how we live and what we do for a living. “He was the grandest of men.” Christine Lahti, who starred in his film Swing Shift opposite Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, said on Twitter: “The world lost one of its purest, most loving and talented souls today.”

Director Ron Howard tweeted: “Jonathan Demme was a great artist, humanitarian, activist & a warm encouraging colleague. I’ve known very few like him. He will be missed.”

Jonathan Demme.