'The French Connection' producer Philip D'Antoni dies at 89

Los Angeles: Philip D'Antoni, who won an Oscar for his work on "The French Connection", has died. He was 89.

D'Antoni died April 15 of complications from kidney failure at his home in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, his son-in-law Mark Rathaus told The Hollywood Reporter.

D'Antoni was best known for the 1971 "The French Connection," which won three Golden Globes and five Oscars, including best picture. Gene Hackman won for best actor and William Friedkin for director and the film also won best-adapted screenplay and film editing. Three years earlier, he had produced the Steve McQueen action film "Bullitt," the movie won an Oscar for film editing.

Born on February 19, 1929, in the Bronx, D'Antoni attended Fordham University and served in the US Army during the occupation of Japan in World War II.

He started his show business career in television, co-producing the specials "Elizabeth Taylor in London", "Sophia Loren in Rome" and "Melina Mercouri's Greece" in 1963, '64 and '65, respectively.

After his three big films, D'Antoni produced just three little-known telefilms "Strike Force", "Shark Kill" and "The Rubber Gun Squad" from 1975-77.

D'Antoni is survived by his wife, five children, and nine grandchildren. Friedkin took to Twitter to mourn his "French Connection" partner. 

"Phil D'Antoni. My friend and the great producer Of The French Connection has died. May he rest in peace," he wrote.