Film-producer Michael Apted has died at the age of 79 with the cause of death yet to be revealed.
The documentarian was better known for his contribution with directing James Bond the World Is Not Enough and films such as Gorillas in the Mist and Coal Miner’s Daughter.
His agency to the Hollywood Reporter confirmed his death but further details are not yet known.
The legend who released many documentaries overtime started out his career in 1960s on the small screen, eventually helping out on the hit current affairs show Seven Up!
With the show following 14 seven-year-old children across their journey through life, Michael assisted director Paul Almond with interviewing those cast.
Michael Apted dead at the age of 79 with cause of death yet to be known (Image: Getty Images)
In 2019, the last series 63 Up was released and the director referred to it as “the most important thing I have ever done”.
The series of documentaries for Granada Television, in which followed a group of young Britons were revisited every seven years to determine how life had panned out, topped the list in the 2005 Channel 4 Program ‘The 50 Greatest Documentaries.’
Seven Up! was only ever supposed to be rolled out for one year but Granda devised a cunning plan in 1970 to check in on the children which Apted also directed.
His agency to the Hollywood Reporter confirmed his death but further details are not yet known. (Image: Getty Images)
Apted took over the reigns of the Granda production and went on to direct the subsequent follow ups, including, 21 Up (1977), 28 Up (1984), 35 Up (1991), 42 Up (1998), 49 Up (2005), 56 Up (2012) and 63 Up (2019).
Director’s Guild of America’s president Thomas Schlamme, also made a touching tribute to the Oscar winning director, writing: “His legacy will be forever woven into the fabric of cinema and our guild.
“A fearless visionary as a director and unparalleled guild leader, Michael saw the trajectory of things when others didn’t, and we were all the beneficiaries of his wisdom and lifelong dedication.”
The film director saw success with the 1963 hit documentary Seven Up! which followed the lives of 14 children throughout life
From 2003 to 2009 Apted had also served three terms as the DGA president himself.
Later in 2013, he went on to scoop up the Guild’s Robert B. Aldrich Award and five years later took home it’s Honorary Life Member.
Apted was also a member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences board of governors.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
