"With legendary producer Dick Zanuck's sudden death yesterday at 77, Hollywood lost one of its last links between a big-time player of today with the earliest days of the business, writes Deadline's Awards Columnist Pete Hammond.  Zanuck's list of credits is eye-popping, starting with his eight-year stint (beginning at 28) trying to revive Fox after the ""Cleopatra"" debacle nearly killed it, through ""Jaws,"" ""MASH"" and ""Patton"" and concluding with the recently opened ""Dark Shadows,"" his sixth collaboration with Tim Burton. That career led to honors like the Thalberg award, which the motion picture academy gives to producers for extended achievement over their careers (Zanuck, on the left in this photo above with his long-time producing partner David Brown, showing their Thalbergs).  If you have the time, please read Pete's long appreciation of Zanuck, who managed to do great work and leave a lot of friends, both major challenges in Hollywood, particularly when done by the same person. Read more here: http://ow.ly/ceUle"
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