British producer John Daly dies

British producer John Daly has died from cancer at the age of 71.

The filmmaker's daughter Jenny confirmed to the BBC that he passed away in his sleep on Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles.

Daly's movies achieved 21 Oscar nominations and 13 wins, including Best Picture gongs for Platoon and The Last Emperor.

Born in London, he joined with British actor David Hemmings in 1967 to form Hemdale, a company which managed rock bands such as Yes and Black Sabbath.

Hemdale went on to become a leading independent film producer and distributor, producing more than 100 films. Daly is credited with helping launch the careers of a number of top directors and A-list performers, including Keanu Reeves and Julia Roberts.

In 2003, Daly became the chairman of Film and Music Entertainment Inc. and remained in the role until his death.

"John was truly a giant in the industry who changed filmmaking for the better," said Lawrence Lotman, the company's chief financial officer and acting chief executive officer.