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Bette Midler pays tribute to director Mark Rydell after his death aged 97
By Press Association
August 17, 2026
Bette Midler has paid tribute to director Mark Rydell following his death aged 97.
American filmmaker directed several Academy Award-nominated films, including The Fox, The Reivers, Cinderella Liberty.
They also featured The Rose and The River.
He also directed Midler in The Rose.
The film was loosely based on Janis Joplin’s life and released in 1979.
On Instagram, Midler paid tribute to Rydell. She shared photos of him behind the cameras and on the set.
She captioned the post. The caption read: “Mark Rydell, the director or my first film, The Rose, died this morning. He was an actor of note before he became a director, and I was so lucky to have met him when I did; he taught me so much on The Rose and later on For The Boys. Two Oscars nominations both because of him. He was the actor’s whisperer; just a few words was all it took to understand what was needed. Devoted to Meisner. So many happy memories. RIP”
Before turning to directing, Bette Midler was a noted actor, and I was fortunate to meet her then. Additionally, she taught me much on The Rose and later on For The Boys. Two Oscar nominations followed, both because of her.
He was the actor’s whisperer; just a few words was all it took to understand what was needed. Devoted to Meisner. So many happy memories. RIP.
Rydell was best known for directing the 1981 romantic drama On Golden Pond.
It starred Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, and his daughter Jane Fonda.
The film received 10 Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture. It won three – Best Actor for Fonda, Best Actress for Hepburn, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
The film On Golden Pond also marked Henry Fonda’s final screen role before his death aged 77 in 1982.
Mortimer H Rydell was born in New York City.
The director initially trained at the Juilliard School of Music.
He later studied as an actor at both the neighborhood Playhouse and at the Actors Studio.
He went on to appear in Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye. He appeared in As The World Turns for six years.
Later, Rydell turned his focus to directing.
He led episodes of television shows including Mr Novak, Ben Casey and Gunsmoke.
The director’s first feature film was 1967’s The Fox, acclaimed by critics. Two years later, he directed Steve McQueen in The Reivers and John Wayne in 1972’s The Cowboys. He then went on to direct a string of Oscar-nominated films.
His final credit was a 2007 episode of the series Masters of Science Fiction hosted by Stephen Hawking.
Source: Press Association
