A host of top Hollywood stars including Sidney Poitier, Sylvester Stallone and Pierce Brosnan have paid tribute to late actor Rod Steiger. Steiger, who won an Oscar for his role in In the Heat of the Night, died yesterday at the age of 77. Norman Jewison, who directed Steiger in that film opposite Sidney Poitier, called him "one of the most creative actors I ever worked with." With Steiger's death coming less than a week after the passing of legendary director John Frankenheimer, Jewison said, "It is as though we are losing the lions from the arena. Rod was a lion of a man." Jewison, who also directed Steiger in the 1978 Sylvester Stallone union drama F*I*S*T and one of his last major film performances in 1999's The Hurricane, said Steiger was the "anchor" in any movie. He said, "I always tried to put him in every film I did because to me, he was like an anchor for the rest of the cast. He was so deeply committed." Poitier said his former co-star was a "quintessential actor" who, unlike the role he played in Heat of the Night, was "such a gentle soul." He added, "He will be remembered as one of America's great actors." Stallone, who in addition to F*I*S*T worked with Steiger on The Specialist, said, "Rod was one of the greatest actors of our time," while Brosnan, who starred with him in Mars Attacks! said, "'The legend' is now legend, and I'll miss him."...
- 7/11/2002
- WENN
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