R.I.P. Sidney Lumet (June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011)

Sidney Lumet, director of over 70 films and television series including the classic "Dog Day Afternoon," "Serpico," "Network" and "The Verdict," died early Saturday afternoon in his home in Manhattan at the age of 86 from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.  Although Lumet received an Academy Award nomination for his very first feature film "12 Angry Men" and went on to receive 9 more nominations for best director and screenplay, he criminally was never awarded an Oscar for any particular film.  In 2005, he was finally granted an honorary Oscar.

Although known for his gritty New York films, Lumet was born in Philadelphia to a Polish-born actor and began his career as a director with Off-Broadway productions.  After gaining valuable experience in theater, he transitioned into the new medium of television in 1950 working as an assistant to friend and then-director Yul Brynner.  His ability to work quickly while shooting carried over to his film career.  Referred to as an actor's director, he went on to direct the who's who of great actors including Henry Fonda, Marlon Brando, Sophia Loren, Sean Connery, Al Pacino, Omar Sharif, Katherine Hepburn, Richard Burton, Vanessa Redgrave, Joanne Woodward, John Cazale, Dustin Hoffman and Robert Duvall.  Similarly, Lumet worked with the vanguard of old and new composers including Alex North, Quincy Jones, Kenyon Hopkins, Andre Previn, Mikis Theorodakis, John Barry, Michel Legrand, Johnny Mandel, Howard Shore and Carter Burwell.  He directed his last film in 2007, "Before The Devil Knows You're Dead" starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney and Marisa Tomei.

Please join us on Morricone Youth this Sunday, April 10th at 2 pm ET when your host Devon E. Levins will honor Mr. Lumet and his incredible films by dedicating the entire two hours to music from his works.

Listen on EVR Here!

Devon E. Levins

Morricone Youth

Sundays 2:00pm-4:00pm ET