Famed Hollywood screenwriter and producer Fay Kanin has died. She was 95.
Kanin gained fame along with her husband, Michael Kanin, in the 1940s and 1950s while writing screenplays for classic movies such as Sunday Punch, My Pal Gus, and The Opposite Sex. She and her husband were nominated for a best original screenplay Academy Award for the 1958 movie Teacher’s Pet, which starred Clark Gable and Doris Day.
Kanin went on to produce movies and stage productions, including a 1959 adaptation of Akira Kurasawa’s Rashomon. In 1979 she became the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a title she held until 1983.
Though the details of her death have not been released, the Academy has released a statement regarding Kanin’s death:
The Academy is deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved former president and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Fay Kanin.
She was committed to the Academy’s preservation work and instrumental in expanding our public programming. A tireless mentor and inspiration to countless filmmakers, Fay’s passion for film continues to inspire us daily.
Our prayers and condolences go out to her loved ones.
(Image courtesy the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)