Edmonton-born Arthur Hiller, versatile director of 'Love Story,' dies at 92

Arthur Hiller poses with his Oscar trophy during the 74th annual Academy Awards on Sunday, March 24, 2002 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Doug Mills)

LOS ANGELES -- Arthur Hiller, the Edmonton-born director who received an Oscar nomination for directing the hugely popular romantic tragedy "Love Story" during a career that spanned dozens of popular movies and TV shows, died Wednesday of natural causes. He was 92.

A soft-spoken man with a black mane like a symphonic conductor's, Hiller served two terms apiece as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and president of the Directors Guild of America. In 2002, the Academy presented him with its Jean Hersholt award for humanitarian service.

Although since dismissed by some as overly syrupy, "Love Story," with Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal as star-crossed Ivy League lovers, was one of the most popular movies of 1970. The film, based on the popular novel of the same name by Erich Segal, reduced thousands of moviegoers to tears and created a national catch phrase: "Love means never having to say you're sorry."

MacGraw said in a statement Wednesday that Hiller was "an integral part integral part of one of the most important experiences of my life."

"He was a remarkable, gifted, generous human being and I will miss him terribly," MacGraw said. "My heart and love go out to his family. "

Hiller was born in Edmonton, where his parents operated a Yiddish school and theatre. He attended Victoria High School, where he was classmates with Leslie Nielsen, and after leaving the University of Alberta to join the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, he studied psychology at the University of Toronto and law at the University of British Columbia. He eventually decided to go into communications, applying for a job at the CBC in Toronto.

When asked what kind of work he was seeking, Hiller replied: "I want to be a director."

"To this day I don't know where that came from," he said in 2004.

But three weeks after making the statement he was directing public affairs programs. He eventually advanced to dramas, where he caught Hollywood's attention.

He was hired by NBC in 1955 to direct a live drama, "Matinee Theater." He would go on to direct "Playhouse 90," "Naked City," "Route 66" and many other series before moving on to feature films.

Interestingly enough, Hiller recalled in 1991, "Love Story" almost didn't get made.

"Paramount was in rocky financial shape," he said, and executives wanted to cancel the project. But production boss Robert Evans loved the script and allowed Hiller to proceed -- if he would spend only $2 million. The director brought the film in $25,000 under budget, then insisted on spending $15,000 for memorable scenes in the Boston snow.

"Love Story" kicked off a busy two decades of work for Hiller, who had gotten his start directing such television shows as "Gunsmoke," "Perry Mason" and "The Rifleman" in the 1950s.

He directed nearly two dozen feature films between 1970 and 1990 and was equally at ease with comedy or drama. He even helmed a musical, 1972's "Man of La Mancha" with Peter O'Toole and Sophia Loren, and a biography, 1976's "W.C. Fields and Me," with Rod Steiger and Valarie Perrine.

His more memorable comedies included "The In-Laws" with Peter Falk and Alan Arkin, "Plaza Suite" starring Walter Matthau, "The Wheeler Dealers" with James Garner and Lee Remick, "The Out-of-Towners" with Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis, "The Lonely Guy" with Steve Martin and Charles Grodin, and "Author, Author" with Al Pacino and Dyan Cannon. He teamed comics Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor twice, in the 1976 hit "Silver Streak" and with less success in 1989's "See No Evil, Hear No Evil."

Notable dramas were "The Americanization of Emily" with Garner and Julie Andrews, "The Man in the Glass Booth" with Maximilian Schell, "The Hospital" with George C. Scott and Diana Rigg and "Tobruk" with Rock Hudson and George Peppard.

Hiller's versatility, plus his willingness to take on projects unworthy of his talent, may have forestalled recognition of his achievements. Although he earned good reviews for his better films, his lesser ones were savaged by critics. His only Oscar nomination came for "Love Story," for which he won a Golden Globe. In 2007, he was appointed to the Order of Canada.

Hiller once explained his choice of scripts, saying, "I prefer them with good moral values, which comes from my parents and my upbringing. ... Even in my smaller, lesser films, at least there's an affirmation of the human spirit."

His later films included 1990's "Taking Care of Business," 1992's "The Babe" and 1996's "Carpool."

Hiller married Gwen Pechet in 1948 and the couple had a son, Henryk, and daughter, Erica. They were married for 68 years until her death in June.