Alan Parker, ‘Bugsy Malone,’ ‘Midnight Express’ director, dead at 76 - Fox News

Alan Parker, a successful and sometimes surprising filmmaker whose diverse output includes “Bugsy Malone,” “Midnight Express,” and “Evita,” has died at 76, his family said.

A Briton who became a Hollywood heavyweight, Parker also directed “Fame,” “The Commitments and “Mississippi Burning.” Together his movies won 10 Academy Awards and 19 British Academy Film Awards.

The director's family said he died Friday in London after a long illness.

FILE - British actor Jonathan Pryce, from left, American actress-singer Madonna and Spanish actor Antonio Banderas appear at a news conference about the musical film "Evita" with British director Alan Parker in Buenos Aires on Feb.

A statement from the director’s family says Parker died Friday in London after a long illness.

While “Shoot the Moon” (1982) and “Angela's Ashes” (1999) were family dramas, ”Birdy" (1984) was a tale of war and friendship, “Angel Heart” (1987) an occult thriller and “Mississippi Burning” (1988) a powerful civil rights drama that was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including best director.

FILE - British actor John Hurt, from left, American actor Brad Davis, author Billy Hayes, and British director Alan Parker appear in Cannes, France for the screening of their film "Midnight Express" at the 31st International Film Festival on May, 18, 1978.

A statement from the director’s family says Parker died Friday in London after a long illness.

“Rocketman” director Dexter Fletcher said Parker “inadvertently changed my life at the age of 9” by casting Fletcher as Babyface in “Bugsy Malone.” He said he still gets recognized from the film, 45 years later

Fletcher said Parker “was one of the great, diverse, eclectic and original British filmmakers of his generation and my personal directing hero.”

Fellow British filmmaker David Puttnam said Parker “was my oldest and closest friend — I was always in awe of his talent