Director Donen, 94, dies

Acclaimed filmmaker Stanley Donen, whose directorial works include the timeless musical flick “Singin’ in the Rain” and the classic comedy-mystery “Charade,” has died. He was 94. Donen passed away from heart failure on Thursday, his sons Joshua and Mark Donen revealed. The longtime director died in New York City.

He worked alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest stars over the course of his career. Among them was famed entertainer Gene Kelly, whom Donan collaborated with on some of his most notable productions.

Donan and Kelly co-directed “Singin’ in the Rain, in which Kelly also starred. The beloved romantic comedy, which premiered in 1952, also starred Debbie Reynolds.

The duo also worked as directors of the 1949 musical “On the Town,” in which Kelly starred alongside starred Frank Sinatra.

Years after those iconic films, Donen helmed multiple movies starring Audrey Hepburn, including the 1957 musical romcom “Funny Face,” “Charade,” which premiered in 1963 and also starred Cary Grant, and the 1967 romance drama-comedy “Two for the Road.”

Donan (above) was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1998 to commemorate his immense achievements in the movie industry.

His death was mourned by many of his high-profile colleagues.

“RIP the great Stanley Donen, some feat to have multiple classics in both musicals, but also comedies, thrillers, dramas,” filmmaker Edgar Wright tweeted Saturday.

Steven Spielberg described Donen as a “friend and early mentor.”

“His generosity in giving over so many of his weekends in the late ’60s to film students like me to learn about telling stories and placing lenses and directing actors is a time I will never forget,” Spielberg wrote in a statement obtained by Variety. “He co-directed what some consider the greatest Hollywood musical of all time ‘Singing In the Rain’ but when he left his partnership with Gene Kelly to go it alone he made his most compelling movies in multiple genres.”