Robert Altman: Director of MASH and Nashville Dies at 81

Robert Altman was an American film director known for his overlapping dialogue and large ensemble casts. Born on February 20, 1925, in Kansas City, Missouri, he flew bombers in World War II and began by making industrial films.

His films included M*A*S*H (1970), McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Nashville (1975), The Player (1992), Short Cuts (1993) and Gosford Park (2001). He was nominated for seven Academy Awards and never won, but he received an honorary Oscar in 2006.

Altman had a heart transplant in 1996. He died of complications of leukemia in Los Angeles on November 20, 2006, at age 81. He was married three times and had six children.

Achievements: Honorary Academy Award (2006), Palme d'Or for M*A*S*H, Golden Lion lifetime award.

Birth: February 20, 1925 - Kansas City, Missouri.

Profession: Film director.

Interesting Facts: At his 2006 honorary Oscar, he revealed that he had received a heart transplant a decade earlier.