Americans' unhappy birthday: 'Too much wrong right now' Even folks in the Optimist Club are having a tough time toeing an upbeat line these days. Stuntman in John Woo film killed on Beijing set BEIJING (AFP) - A stuntman was killed when fire broke out during the filming of a crash scene for acclaimed director John Woo's latest movie, state media reported Tuesday. Director and actor Sydney Pollack dies at 73 Sydney Pollack was remembered by some of the elite actors he directed in films such as "Out of Africa," "Tootsie," and "Absence of Malice," not only for his Academy Award-winning direction, but also for his acting talents.