Story highlights Demme's films included "Stop Making Sense," "Married to the Mob" and "Philadelphia"

He won an Oscar in 1992 for directing "The Silence of the Lambs"

(CNN) Filmmaker Jonathan Demme, whose Oscar-winning thriller "The Silence of the Lambs" terrified audiences and introduced one of the most indelible villains in movie history, died Wednesday morning in New York. "The Silence of the Lambs," however, was an outlier in his filmography, which was scattered across comedy, drama and music. Filmmaker Jonathan Demme, whose Oscar-winning thriller "The Silence of the Lambs" terrified audiences and introduced one of the most indelible villains in movie history, died Wednesday morning in New York. — Reuters pic

NEW YORK, April 27 — Jonathan Demme, the eclectic movie director whose work ranged from thrillers like The Silence of the Lambs to documentaries on leading musicians, died early yesterday of complications from esophageal cancer, his publicist said. Also Read: Justin Timberlake Gets the Jonathan Demme Treatment in Toronto

Demme’s eclectic film career began in the early ’70s, when he made his debut with B-movie mogul Roger Corman on the 1971 biker film, “Angeles Hard as They Come.” In the ’80s, Demme shifted to more prestigious fare with a string of critically acclaimed dramas, including “Melvin and Howard,” “Swing Shift” and “Something Wild.”

He hit his creative peak with the back-to-back successes of “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Philadelphia.” “Silence” earned him his Academy Award for best director in 1991, and the film won four more Oscars, including best actor for Anthony Hopkins and best actress for Jodie Foster. FILE - In this May 31, 1992 file photo, director Jonathan Demme, left, holds his award for best director, actress Jodie Foster holds her award for best actress, and actor Anthony Hopkins holds his award for best actor for their work on 'Silence of the Lambs,' at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles. Other credits include “Something Wild,” ”Rachel Getting Married” and the Spalding Grey documentary “Swimming to Cambodia.”

Last year, Demme released his latest concert film, “Justin Timberlake and the Tennessee Kids.”

Some expressed their condolences online about Demme’s passing:
American film director Jonathan Demme, winner of the Academy Award for Best Director for The Silence of the Lambs, dies of complications from esophageal cancer.