LOS ANGELES, Feb 4, (RTRS): Actor Ben Gazzara, known for his brooding tough-guy presence in dozens of films, television shows and stage productions over his long career, died of pancreatic cancer on Friday at a Manhattan hospital, his lawyer said. He was 81.
The New York-born performer died at Bellevue Hospital Center, with members of his family at his side, according to his attorney, Jay Julien.
Born Biagio Anthony Gazzara to Italian immigrant parents, he began his career in live theater, most notably in the role of Brick in the original Broadway production of Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” directed by Elia Kazan. The role was played by Paul Newman in the 1958 film version.
A three-time Tony Award nominee for his stage work, Gazzara made his film debut as a sociopathic military academy cadet in the 1957 drama “The Strange One,” followed by his breakout role as an accused killer in Otto Preminger’s 1959 hit courtroom drama “Anatomy of a Murder.”

Emotionally
The actor, best known for playing emotionally complex men and villains, went on to work with numerous high-profile Hollywood directors, including John Cassavetes, with whom he collaborated on several films, including the 1976 gangster drama “The Killing of a Chinese Bookie.”
His credits also included a role as porn-film producer Jackie Treehorn in the Coen Brothers’ 1998 cult comedy classic “The Big Lebowski” and a supporting role in the 1999 remake of the art-heist drama “The Thomas Crown Affair,” starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo.
On television, Gazzara starred from 1965 to 1968 on the NBC prime-time drama “Run for Your Life.” He played a wealthy, successful lawyer, Paul Bryan, who quits his practice after learning he has a terminal illness and embarks on a globe-trotting quest for adventure before he dies.
The role earned him two Emmy nominations as best actor in a lead dramatic role. He picked up a third Emmy nomination for his 1985 role in the made-for-TV movie “An Early Frost,” and won an Emmy for his supporting work in the 2002 HBO television film “Hysterical Blindness.”
He earned Tony nominations for his appearances in three Broadway productions of the 1970s, a revival of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and his dual roles in a double bill of the plays “Hughie” and “Duet.”
Gazzara was married three times, with his first two marriages ending in divorce. He is survived by his third wife, Elke, and daughter Elizabeth.

Also:
LOS ANGELES: Patricia Disney, who was once married to Walt Disney’s late nephew Roy E. Disney and was vice chairwoman of Roy’s investment company, died Friday after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.
She was 77.
Patricia Disney died in her Los Angeles home, surrounded by her four children, said family spokesman Clifford Miller.
An advocate for higher education, Patricia Disney served as a trustee of Occidental College in Los Angeles and a regent of St Mary’s College in Moraga, California. She also was a member of the board of the Peregrine Fund, a foundation that preserves birds of prey.
Her former husband, Roy Disney, was a longtime top executive at The Walt Disney Company, which was founded by his uncle. The couple divorced in 2007, and he died in 2009.
The Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger expressed condolences in a statement Friday.
“Her passing marks a sad milestone for the Disney family, and we will always remember her irrepressible spirit and dedication to our company,” Iger said. “Patty was known for her kindness, outgoing nature and especially for her philanthropy, and will be missed by all who knew her.”
She is survived by her children, Roy Patrick Disney, Susan Disney Lord, Abigail Disney and Timothy Disney, and 17 grandchildren.