An American film producer, whose independent production company, Mirisch Corporation, was responsible for making some of Hollywood’s greatest films. Walter Mirisch set up Mirisch Corporation with his two brothers, Marvin and Harold, in 1957, and its incredible output included The Horse Soldiers, Some Like It Hot (both 1959), The Apartment, The Magnificent Seven (both 1960), West Side Story (1961), The Great Escape (1963), The Pink Panther (both 1963), The Thomas Crown Affair (1968), Battle of Midway (1976) and Dracula (1979). His only named Oscar win was for Best Picture for In the Heat of the Night (1967), although the company’s films earned many more Academy Awards and BAFTAs. From 1977, Mirisch served four terms as president of AMPAS and was presented with two honorary Oscars, the Irving G Thalberg Award in 1978 and later the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1983. He was presented with the Cecile B DeMille Award at the Golden Globes in 1977.
Read Walter Mirisch's Guardian obituary
