Movies

'Spider-Man' producer Laura Ziskin dies, aged 61

Published Monday, Jun 13 2011, 05:27 BST | By Kate Goodacre | Add comment

Laura Ziskin has died at the age of 61.

The Spider-Man producer passed away on Sunday after a fight with breast cancer.

Ziskin was born in California and began her career writing for gameshows.

She took her first step into production as an associate producer on the 1978 thriller Eyes of Laura Mars, eventually establishing her own company Fogwood Films with actress Sally Field in 1984.

Ziskin oversaw a number of Hollywood films during her career including As Good As It Gets and Pretty Woman. She became the first woman to produce the Academy Awards telecast solo in 2002, receiving eight Emmy Award nominations.

Her second stint in the producer's chair at the Oscars in 2007 picked up nine Emmy nominations.

Ziskin was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 and organised an all-star telethon, Stand Up To Cancer, in 2008. A second broadcast followed last year.

She also helped to establish a charity of the same name which aims to raise money for cancer research.