William Finley - Actor William Finley Dies At 69

He passed away on Saturday (14Apr12) after a long illness, but no details of his death were available as WENN went to press.

Finley was famed for his collaborations with director Brian De Palma, including Sisters (1973), 1974 film Phantom of the Paradise, and 2006's The Black Dahlia. He also wrote the screenplay for 1983 movie The First Time and co-authored 1985 book Racewalking.

British director Edgar Wright, famed for his work with Simon Pegg on Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, has led tributes to Finley, revealing he is a big fan of Phantom of the Paradise.

He writes, "I was, and remain, speechless and heartbroken... I always wondered if anyone caught the nods to Phantom Of The Paradise in my movies... My thoughts and love go out to the Finley family and I hope that his son Dashiell gets to work on as many weird and wonderful films as his father."