Jonathan Demme, American film director, Died at 73

Robert Jonathan Demme was born on February 22, 1944, in Baldwin, Nassau County, New York and died on April 26, 2017.

He was an American filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter.

He became famous in the 1980s with his comedy films Melvin and Howard (1980), Swing Shift (1984), Something Wild (1986) and Married to the Mob (1988).

Demme was perhaps best known for directing The Silence of the Lambs (1991), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director.

He when on to do feature film working for exploitation film producer Roger Corman from 1971 to 1976, co-writing and producing Angels Hard as They Come and The Hot Box.

After he had moved on to directing, with three films (Caged Heat, Crazy Mama, Fighting Mad) for Corman’s studio New World Pictures.

Robert Jonathan Demme directed the acclaimed films Philadelphia (1993) and Rachel Getting Married (2008).

He has three children by two marriages.

He died due to esophageal cancer and complications from heart disease.

Robert Jonathan Demme passed away at 73 years old.