Hollywood lost two iconic artists and entertainers this week. Director/producer/actor Sydney Pollack, 73, died of cancer on Monday afternoon at his home in Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family, according to reports. Comedian and actor Harvey Korman, 81, suffered a rupture in an aortic aneurysm in his abdomen four months ago, and died from complications from the illness on Thursday.

Sydney Pollack has always been a hugely influential part of my film upbringing. His movies have made me laugh hysterically ("Tootsie"), weep unabashedly ("Out of Africa") and fall in swooning love at the tender age of 13 (with Robert Redford, in "The Way We Were"). His body of work includes great films in every decade going back to the '60s: "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" in '69, "The Way We Were" and "Three Days of the Condor" in the '70s, "Tootsie" and "Out of Africa" in the '80s, "The Firm" in the '90s, "Sketches of Frank Gehry" in '06. He was also a terrific actor, most recently appearing opposite George Clooney in "Michael Clayton."

Sydney Pollack

Harvey's resume stretches back almost as far as Sydney's. His first big break was as a featured performer on "The Danny Kaye Show" in the '60s, and he was later nominated for six Emmys (winning four) for his work on "The Carol Burnett Show." His most famous role, however, was undoubtedly his starring turn as Hedley Lamarr in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles." The talented comic spent the last several years doing steady television and voiceover work on everything from kids cartoons ("The Wild Thornberrys") to primetime hits ("ER").

"Go do that voodoo that you do so well!" -
Harvey Korman in "Blazing Saddles"

Both men - and their extraordinary talents - will be missed.