Jonathan Demme, Oscar-winning director of 'Silence of the Lambs,' dies at 73

— -- Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme, who is best known for iconic films including "Silence of the Lambs" and "Philadelphia," has died from complications from esophageal cancer, ABC News confirms. He was 73.

After producing commercials and other small projects early in his career, the New York native burst onto the directing scene in the mid-1970s with a variety of films and projects, including an episode of the famed show "Columbo" and movies like "Handle with Care" and "Melvin and Howard."

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After almost two decades in the industry, Demme hit his stride with films like "Silence of the Lambs" in 1991, for which he won best director, and then "Philadelphia" in 1993, starring the year's best actor Tom Hanks.

At the time, "Philadelphia" was one of the first big-budget films to cover the AIDS epidemic in America, with Hanks starring as a gay lawyer suing his old firm for wrongful termination.

Demme also directed a number of films that have garnered cult followings, including the 1986 dramatic comedy "Something Wild," which included star turns from Melanie Griffith, Jeff Daniels, and young Ray Liotta, who stole the screen playing a scheming thug.

Other films of note include the 1988 crime comedy "Married to the Mob," and 2008's "Rachel Getting Married."

Demme has been lauded by critics for the creative use of popular music in his films and for building bridges between the pop world and the world of cinema.

His mesmerizing 1984 concert film "Stop Making Sense," which captured a Talking Heads live performance, has been credited with revolutionizing the concert documentary and remains among his most beloved films.

His 2006 film "Neil Young: Heart of Gold" was praised for its empathetic tribute to the Canadian songwriter's long career in music.

Demme also worked on video anthologies for The Pretenders, Bruce Springsteen and others in the 2000s.

He worked on a Justin Timberlake documentary just last year and even loaned his vision to several TV shows, including the 2014 series' finale of "The Killing."

Demme is survived by his wife, Joanne Howard, and their three children: Brooklyn, Josephine and Ramona.