John Daly | Noted film producer, 71

John Daly, 71, the British-born producer of 13 Oscar-winning movies, including

Platoon

and

The Last Emperor

, who helped launch the careers of many A-list directors and actors, died Friday at a Los Angeles hospital after struggling with cancer.

Over a career that spanned four decades, Mr. Daly produced films that earned 13 Oscars for best picture and 21 Oscar nominations, as well as numerous Golden Globes and other awards.

Mr. Daly's companies boosted the career starts of seminal directors such as Oliver Stone (Platoon, Salvador), Bernardo Bertolucci (The Last Emperor), and Robert Altman (Images), as well as actors Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves and Julia Roberts.

"John was truly a giant in the industry who changed filmmaking for the better," said Lawrence Lotman, chief financial officer and acting chief executive officer of Film and Music Entertainment Inc., in a statement.

Born in London, Mr. Daly started in show business in 1967 when he joined with British actor David Hemmings to form Hemdale, a company that managed rock bands such as Yes and Black Sabbath.

Since 2003, Mr. Daly had been at the helm of Film & Music Entertainment Inc. In 2004, he produced, cowrote and directed The Aryan Couple, starring Martin Landau, which received numerous awards at film festivals around the world. - AP