Director Sidney Lumet Dies at 86

April 10, 2011— -- Veteran film director Sidney Lumet, the man behind such American classics as "Dog Day Afternoon," "Network," and "12 Angry Men" has died in his Manhattan home at the age of 86.

The cause of the director's death was lymphoma, according to his stepdaughter, Leslie Gimbel.

One of the top American filmmakers of the second half of the 20th century, Lumet's often controversial films dealt with major social upheaval and unrest while bringing some of the finest performances from the country's top actors onto the screen.

Though he was nominated five times for an Academy Award, he didn't walk away with a statue until the Academy handed him an honorary award in 2005. Lumet was nominated for the best director award for "12 Angry Men" (1957), "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975), "Network" (1976), "The Verdict" (1982), and for best screenplay for "Prince Of The City" (1981).

While exploring the modern American landscape, Lumet's features – of which he directed over 40 since the early 1950s – frequently touched the nerve of American culture while criticizing establishments like the media and justice system.

"Network," one of the most successful features of 1976, became a landmark cautionary tale on the power of the media with the classic line, uttered by Peter Finch's news anchor Howard Beale, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore."

In 2000 the film was added to the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, and the American Film Institute named it the 66th best film of all time in 2007.

"Network" immediately followed Lumet's "Dog Day Afternoon," which follows Al Pacino's Sonny Wortzik as he robs a Brooklyn bank to pay for his lover's sexual reassignment operation. It is widely recognized, along with "The Godfather," as Pacino's star-making performance.