(CBS News) NEW YORK - Nora Ephron, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker and director
behind such hits as "When Harry Met Sally" and "Sleepless in Seattle," has
passed away, CBS News has learned.
Dr. Gail Roboz, Ephron's oncologist, told CBS News she died at 7:40 p.m. ET
from acute myeloid leukemia at Weil-Cornell/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
Nicholas Latimer of Alfred A. Knopf confirmed to the Associated Press earlier
Tuesday her deteriorating condition hours after celebrity columnist and friend
Liz Smith published what appeared to be a memorial for the writer.
Smith told The Associated Press that she had spoken to Ephron's son Jacob on
Tuesday morning and was told that Ephron was dying. She said when she heard that
funeral plans had been arranged, she published the column on the website Women
on the Web.
"I was confused because I was told to come to the funeral on Thursday," Smith
said. "It's bad enough."
Latimer did not provide any additional information on Ephron's condition.
Ephron, 71, is best known for writing books like "Heartburn" and "Crazy
Salad" and for the movies "When Harry Met Sally," ''Sleepless in Seattle" and
most recently "Julie & Julia."
Ephron, who has been a director, screenwriter and producer, is considered one
of most influential women in Hollywood and one of the literary world's key
authors.
"Heartburn," starring Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson, chronicled her own
dissolving marriage with journalist Carl Bernstein and was based on the novel of
the same name.
Ephron has two sons, Jacob and Max Bernstein.
