The Canadian-born director is best known for directing old films such as “In the Heat of the Night,” starring Sidney Poitier, “Fiddler on the Roof,” starring Topol, and “Moonstruck,” starring Cher.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Cher praised her “Moonstruck” director, thanking him for helping her earn the best actress Oscar for the film.
Cher praised Jewison on her social media, writing, “Thank you for one of the most beautiful, happy, and funny reports of my life. “(Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
“Farewell, prince of sweets, thank you for one of the most beautiful, satisfying, and funny reports of my life. Without you, I wouldn’t have my handsome golden man,” she wrote.
“Norman U Made Moonstruck The GREAT FILM Ppl, Script ,Actors, Etc, NEEDED U DEAR. NORMAN JEWISON LIVES ON THROUGH HIS WORK,” she added.
Nicolas Cage, Cher’s “Moonstruck” co-star, also weighed in on Jewison’s passing.
“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Norman Jewison, the sculptor of so many glorious stories and performances. There was no one better to work with than a young actor, and I was fortunate enough to take advantage of his wisdom and advice. Cage said in a message to Fox News Digital.
Sonny Bono, Cher, Norman Jewison and Nicolas Cage pose together at the premiere of “Moonstruck” in 1987. (Barry King/WireImage)
During his later career, he worked with Denzel Washington on two films, “A Soldier’s Story” and “The Hurricane,” about the life of wrongfully imprisoned boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter.
“The Honeymooners” actress Joyce Randolph has died at the age of 99.
Norman Jewison, acclaimed director of such films as “In the Heat of the Night,” “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Moonstruck,” has died at the age of 97. (John Shearer/WireImage)
“In the Heat of the Night” is one of Jewison’s most celebrated films, starring Poitier as a Black detective working with a racist small-town sheriff, played by Rod Stieger, to solve a murder in the American South.
He was inspired by his reports hitchhiking in the Jim Crow South after World War II, and in his autobiography, “This Terrible Business Has Been Good to Me,” he wrote that racism and injustice are recurring themes in his work.
“Any time a movie is about racism, many Americans feel uncomfortable,” he writes. “But we have to face it. We will have to face prejudice and injustice, otherwise we will never perceive what is right and what is wrong, what is right and what is wrong. And it’s wrong; We have to feel what the ‘other’ feels. “
The film won five Academy Awards, Best Picture and Best Actor for Stieger.
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Jewison and Sidney Poitier at ASCAP’s annual film and television music awards in 2001. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Jewison began his career in his home Canada, applying for the CBC. He attracted Hollywood attention and earned a reputation as a director of television musicals, working with stars such as Judy Garland, Danny Kaye, and Harry Belafonte.
He directed his first feature film, “40 Pounds of Trouble” in 1963, and followed it up with other comedies like “The Thrill of It All” and “The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming.”
Jewison and his wife Margaret Ann Dixon had 3 children, sons Kevin and Michael and daughter Jennifer Ann, who became actresses and starred in Jewison’s films “Agnes of God” and “Best Friends”. The Jewisons were married for 51 years, until their death in 2004. He married Lynne St. David in 2010.
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Jewison with his second wife Lynne in 2017. (Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)
His last completed film was 2003’s “The Statement,” starring Michael Caine and Tilda Swinton.
Reflecting on his career in a 2011 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jewison said, “I never really became as much a part of the establishment as I wanted to be. I wanted to be accepted. I wanted people to say ‘that was a great picture.’”
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He continued, “I mean, I have a big ego like everyone else. I’m not a purple user backing down. But I’ve never felt completely accepted, and that’s still good. “
The Associated Press contributed to this report.