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Midler pays tribute to 'actor's whisperer' Mark Rydell

  • Director Mark Rydell died Thursday at age 97 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, his daughter, Amy Rydell, told The Hollywood Reporter.
  • Before becoming a celebrated director, Rydell began his career as an actor on the soap opera As the World Turns in the 1950s, transitioning to television directing and his 1967 feature debut, The Fox.
  • His greatest success came with the 1981 drama On Golden Pond, which earned him a best director Oscar nomination while guiding Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn to Academy Award wins.
  • Working with Bette Midler on the 1979 drama The Rose, Rydell guided the singer through her feature debut and earned her first Academy Award nomination, establishing a lasting creative partnership.
  • He is survived by three children—Amy, Christopher, and Alexander—leaving a legacy defined by his rare gift for eliciting acclaimed performances from Hollywood's most legendary actors.
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Director Mark Rydell has died at the ripe old age of ninety-seven. His death was announced by actress Bette Midler, who launched his career. Rydell was also nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe.

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"It's hard to put into words how much I loved my dad, he was truly one of a kind," his daughter wrote, confirming his death.

·Marousi, Greece
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Showbiz411 broke the news on Friday, August 14, 2026.
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