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Michael Gottlieb, the writer and director of comedies like Mannequin and Mr. Nanny, died in a motorcycle crash on the Angeles Crest Highway in La Canada Flintridge on Friday.CHP officials told Westside Today that Gottlieb was riding his 2012 Ducati on the highway when he crashed into a 2003 Toyota. During their investigation, officials found that Gottlieb tried passing the Toyota driver, 24-year-old Juan Medina, and went into opposing lanes. When Medina tried to make a left turn onto Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road, he crashed into Gottlieb's motorcycle. Gottlieb was ejected from his bike and suffered from head injuries and a broken neck.
Paramedics pronounced Gottlieb dead at the scene just an hour after the crash. CHP officials said that he wasn't wearing a U.S. Department of Transportation-approved helmet.
Gottlieb's oeuvre in directing included The Shrimp on a Barbie and A Kid in King Arthur's Court. Gottlieb, 69, also produced video games including several Mortal Kombat ones and Paperboy. In addition, he taught screenwriting courses as a faculty member at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
“Michael Gottlieb was superbly talented in an unusual number of creative disciplines,” Art Center College's film chair Ross LaManna told The Hollywood Reporter. “His love for his students and generosity with his time and expertise were second to none. He mentored, guided, cheer-led and scolded hundreds of students through the challenging process of writing a feature-length screenplay and took enormous pride in their accomplishments.”
Prior to his work in film, the New York-native was a fashion photographer, which led him to his career as a successful commercial director and cinematographer. He was awarded a Clio and worked with clients like Xerox and Coca-Cola.
Actor Andrew McCarthy, who starred in Mannequin, tweeted about his death:
Very sad: @marciliroff: How sad! RT @THR: 'Mannequin' Writer-Director Michael Gottlieb Dies at 69 http://t.co/vuZNqNBrjG cc
— Andrew McCarthy (@AndrewTMcCarthy) May 27, 2014
Gottlieb is survived by three daughters.
