Famed director William Friedkin, famous for his Oscar-winning film “The French Connection” and the blockbuster “The Exorcist,” died on Monday in Los Angeles at the age of 87.

He was married to Sherry Lansing in 1991.

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Who is Sherry Lansing?

Sherry Lansing is 79 years old. Sherry Lansing, an American philanthropist and former film studio executive, was born Sherry Lee Duhl on July 31, 1944. She currently chairs the board of directors of the Universal Music Group. Her extensive professional background includes notable roles as the chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures and the president of production at 20th Century Fox.

She was named one of the top 30 American women in power by Ladies’ Home Journal in 2001. Additionally, she has frequently been named first on The Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 list.

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Sherry Lansing’s career in the film industry started at MGM, where she worked as a head script reader. She progressed through the ranks fast and was eventually named Vice President of Production at Columbia Pictures. She was instrumental in the commercial success of the 1979 releases “The China Syndrome” and “Kramer vs. Kramer,” both of which received critical acclaim.

After 20th Century Fox became interested in Lansing’s work at Columbia Pictures, she achieved history by becoming the first female production president of a significant motion picture studio in 1980, at the age of 35.

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She founded the Sherry Lansing Foundation in 2005 with the goal of having a beneficial influence in a number of crucial areas. The foundation’s mission is to increase public support and understanding of cancer research, K–12 public education programs, and possibilities for encore careers.

While attending Northwestern University in 1967, Sherry Lansing married her classmate Michael Brownstein. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1970. She married the filmmaker William Friedkin in 1991.