Nora Ephron - Writer, Producer, and Director - Passes at 71

Hollywood lost a beloved personality this week when filmmaker Nora Ephron passed away on Tuesday, June 26. She was 71.

Ephron is perhaps best known for writing the screenplay for When Harry Met Sally, starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. She went on to write and direct such hit romantic comedies as Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. She was nominated three times for an Academy Award for Best Writing.

Before she broke into Hollywood, Ephron was briefly an intern in the Kennedy White House. She also wrote for the New York Post, where she broke the news of Bob Dylan’s marriage to Sara Lownds, as well as Esquire and other notable publications. She assisted Carl Bernstein (then her husband) and Bob Woodward with their script for All the President’s Men, which led to her career in the movies.

Away from the silver screen, Ephron also made a name as a novelist and essayist, playwright, and journalist. Her most recent essay collection, I Remember Nothing, was published in 2010.

Many celebrities have expressed their thoughts on Ms. Ephron’s passing, including Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, whom she paired in both Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. Hanks said, “…she lifted us all with wisdom and wit mixed with love for us and love for life.” Ryan said that Ephron was “All wisdom, wit, and sparkle lights, what a treat she was, what a blessing.”

Although Nora Ephron may be gone, her books and classic films remain very popular. Make sure you have them in your collection.