Mark Rydell, ‘On Golden Pond’ and ‘The Rose’ Director, Dies at 97

By Carmel Dagan

Carmel Dagan

Staff Writer

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Mark Rydell, who received a best director nomination for the Oscar-winning “On Golden Pond” and directed Bette Midler in “The Rose” and “For the Boys,” died Friday. He was 97.

Midler posted about his death on her Instagram, writing, “Mark Rydell, the director or my first film, The Rose, died this morning. He was an actor of note before he became a director, and I was so lucky to have met him when I did; he taught me so much on The Rose and later on For The Boys. Two Oscars nominations both because of him. He was the actor’s whisperer; just a few words was all it took to understand what was needed. Devoted to Meisner. So many happy memories.”

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