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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Vicki Newman

Sir Alan Parker dead: Director of Bugsy Malone and Evita dies at 76

Film director Sir Alan Parker has died.

The movie maker was famous for directing movies Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express and Evita.

A spokeswoman confirmed that he has died at the age of 76.

Sir Alan has a long list of credits to his name.

He also brought Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Angela's Ashes and Birdy to the screen.

The filmmaker was a member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain, and was the chairman of the UK Film Council.

A spokesperson said Sir Alan died today following a lengthy illness.

He is survived by his wife Lisa Moran-Parker, five children and seven grandchildren.

Sir Alan's film career began in his late teens, when he began working as a copywriter and director for television advertisements.

He worked on TV ads for 10 years before he began screenwriting and directing films.

He was noted for working across a wide range of genres and for using many different filmmaking styles.

Sir Alan, who was born in London, brought many musicals to life, from Bugsy Malone and Evita to Fame and Pink Floyd - The Wall.

Sir Alan made a lot of very famous movies (Getty Images)

He also delved into many true-story dramas, with Midnight Express, Angela's Ashes and Come See the Paradise.

Sir Alan was also behind many horrors and thrillers, including Angel Heart and The Life of David Gale.

Throughout his career, his work earned him many awards, including 19 BAFTAs, 10 Golden Globes and six Academy Awards.

His hard work saw him appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services to the British film industry in 1995, and he was later knighted in 2002.

Sir Alan died on Friday (Getty Images Europe)

In 2013, Sir Alan was handed the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award, which is the highest honour that can be given to a filmmaker by the British Film Academy.

Later, in 2015, he donated his personal archive to the British Film Institute's National Archive.

Film director David Puttnam paid tribute following the sad news of his death.

He said: "I was always in awe of his talent.

"My life and those of many others who loved and respected him will never be the same again."

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