Peter Bogdanovich, director of classics like ‘The Last Picture Show’ and ‘Paper Moon,’ died of natural causes on Thursday at the age of 82,  his daughter, Antonia Bogdanovich said in a statement. 

Born in Kingston, New York in 1939, he started his career as a critic, writing articles for Esquire. He then moved to Los Angeles and met director Roger Corman following which secured his first directing projects, making the sci-fi picture ‘Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women.’ His next project was 1971’s ‘The Last Picture Show,’ which starred Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd and Cloris Leachman. The movie, which was a hit at the box officer, earned eight Oscar nominations and went on to move two awards.

Also Read: Lawrence N Brooks, oldest US veteran of WWII, dies at 112

His affair with Cybill Shepherd, which began on the sets of the movie, while he was married to Polly Platt, was also in the spotlight at the time. The murder of his girlfriend Dorothy Stratten and his subsequent marriage to her younger sister, Louise, who was 29 years younger than him, were also in the news. 

Also Read: Who was Joan Copeland? Law and order actor dies at 99

Meanwhile, reactions came in swiftly at the news of his death.

“Oh dear, a shock. I am devastated. He was a wonderful and great artist. I’ll never forgot attending a premiere for ‘The Last Picture Show.’ I remember at its end, the audience leaped up all around me bursting into applause lasting easily 15 minutes. I’ll never forget although I felt I had never myself experienced a reaction like that, that Peter and his film deserved it. May he sleep in bliss for eternity, enjoying the thrill of our applause forever,” said Francis Ford Coppola in an email to AP.

Also Read: Tiffini Hale, ‘Mickey Mouse Club’ member, dies at 46

Guillermo del Toro tweeted: “He was a dear friend and a champion of Cinema. He birthed masterpieces as a director and was a most genial human. He single-handedly interviewed and enshrined the lives and work of more classic filmmakers than almost anyone else in his generation.”

With inputs from the Associated Press