John Guillermin, the director responsible for films such as The Towering Inferno and 1976’s version of King Kong, has died at the age of 89.
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He would go on to work on films including Town On Trial, The Blue Max, El Condor, Skyjacked, Shaft In Africa and even a couple of Tarzan instalments.
Born in London, Guillermin studied at the University of Cambridge and served within the Royal Air Force earlier than starting his directing profession in France, as a documentary filmmaker.
Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden and Faye Dunaway had roles in The Towering Inferno in 1974.
She ended the message writing: “Sadly but proudly, I am Mary Guillermin, widow of a wonderful man – sensitive and passionate, full of a fierce rapture himself”.
Nick Redman, a friend of Mr Guillermin, confirmed the news to ew.com . “He was a very urbane person, and he made a few great movies”.
The Towering Inferno, which released in 1973, won Oscars for Best Original Song, Best Film Editing and Best Cinematography, in addition to Golden Globes for Fred Astaire and Susan Flannery.
The movie, still regarded as a classic of the genre, about a fire that breaks out on the 135th floor of a shoddily-built skyscraper starred McQueen and Newman – two of the biggest film stars of the day.
Guillermin’s last film was King Kong Lives in 1986.
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He was married to actress Maureen Connell for 40 years – with whom he had children Michelle and Michael-John, who tragically died in a auto accident aged just 21 – before he Wednesday second wife Mary.
