Sidney Lumet (June 25, 1924 - April 9, 2011) was an American film director, with over 50 films to his name, including 12 Angry Men (1957), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Network (1976) and The Verdict (1982), all of which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director. According to The Encyclopedia of Hollywood, Lumet was one of the most prolific directors of the modern era, making more than one movie per year on average since his directorial debut in 1957. He is noted by Turner Classic Movies for his "strong direction of actors", "vigorous storytelling" and the "social realism" in his best work.