ANDY SIDARIS - TV SPORTS PIONEER SIDARIS DIES

US sports pioneer and Emmy Award winner ANDY SIDARIS has died of throat cancer. He was 76. Sidaris passed away at his home on Wednesday (07MAR07) and memorial services have been scheduled for later today (11MAR07) in Los Angeles. Sidaris directed the first WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS for ABC, and picked up his Emmy Award for in 1969 for directing the Summer Olympics. The 1970s saw a foray into dramatic television, with Sidaris directing episodes of KOJAK and THE HARDY BOYS/NANCY DREW MYSTERIES. Later his film credits, with his wife ARLENE as production partner, boasted 12 movies. These mainly featured scantily clad, gun-toting Playboy Playmates, as in BULLETS, BOMBS AND BABES, FIT TO KILL and SAVAGE BEACH. Sidaris is survived by his wife, his son DREW and daughters ALEXA GARNER and STACEY AVELA.