Oscar producer Gil Cates dies at 77

2011-11-02 01:53:12 GMT+7 (ICT)

LOS ANGELES (BNO NEWS) -- Gilbert Cates, the long-time producer of the Academy Awards and former president of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), died in California on Monday afternoon. He was 77.

Cates was pronounced dead at around 5.50 p.m. local time on Monday when emergency medical personnel responded to the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he was found. They were unable to revive him.

The 77-year-old is known for having produced the Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, a total of fourteen times between 1990 and 2008, more than any other individual. He was responsible for first bringing hosts Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, David Letterman, Steve Martin, Chris Rock and Jon Stewart to the Oscar's stage.

He also served three consecutive terms as a governor of the Academy's Directors Branch, from 1984 to 1993. He returned to the board for another term beginning in 2002 and held the post of vice president from 2003 to 2005.

"Gil was our colleague, our friend and a former governor of the Academy," said Academy President Tom Sherak. "He was a consummate professional who gave the Academy and the world some of the most memorable moments in Oscar history. His passing is a tremendous loss to the entertainment industry, and our thoughts go out to his family."

But before Cates joined the Academy, he joined the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in 1960 when the Radio and Television Directors Guild, of which he was a member, merged with the Screen Directors Guild to form the modern Directors Guild of America.

Cates was elected to the National Board in 1975 and served as President from 1983-1987 and as Secretary-Treasurer from 1997 until he died. He chaired the Negotiations Committee for the Guild's 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2011 contract negotiations and served on the Western Directors Council for more than 20 years.

"Gil Cates was a Guild legend. There are few people in the history of the Guild who have matched Gil's vision and influence on the organization," DGA said in a statement. "There was no greater champion, no fiercer protector of the creative and economic rights of its members and no truer friend to the membership, board and staff of the DGA."

Cates also served as dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT) from 1990 to 1998 and was on the faculty of the school as a professor. "Today we mourn our great loss but also celebrate Gil's extraordinary vision and countless contributions, not only to TFT as founding dean and distinguished professor but to the entertainment and performing arts industries and the education of our students, who benefited from his remarkable talent, insights, generosity, experience and wisdom," said Teri Schwartz, dean of the UCLA TFT.

The Los Angeles County coroner is investigating the cause of Cates' death.

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A sad loss. He produced the Oscars. I often enjoyed the Oscars more than many of the movies that won.