Mark Rydell, Oscar-nominated director of ‘On Golden Pond’, dies at 97

Oscar-nominated film director Mark Rydell has died at the age of 97. According to his daughter, Amy Rydell, he passed away on Thursday of natural causes at an entertainment industry retirement community in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.

Rydell is best known for directing the 1981 blockbuster ‘On Golden Pond’, which earned ten Academy Award nominations and grossed over $119 million. The film starred Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn. Rydell himself received a directing nomination from the Academy and the Directors Guild of America (DGA) for the project.

Born Mortimer Rydell in New York in 1929, he trained as a musician at the Juilliard School of Music under pianist Teddy Wilson before transitioning into directing. His career included work on television series such as ‘Gunsmoke’, ‘Ben Casey’, and ‘The Fugitive’, as well as feature films like ‘The Cowboys’ and ‘The Reivers’. He was a longtime member of the DGA, serving on its National Board from 1987 to 1991.