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Academy-Award Winning Sound Engineer and Film Professor Dies

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Richard Portman, a veteran sound engineer who won an Academy Award for his work on "The Deer Hunter" and later became a film school professor, has died. He was 82.

Jennifer Portman, his daughter, confirmed Portman died at his Tallahassee home on Saturday. His death came after a recent fall that left him with a broken hip and other complications.

Portman, who worked on films such as "Star Wars" and "The Godfather," was nominated 11 times for an Academy Award. He won a British Academy Award for work on Robert Altman's "Nashville."

"His philosophy on movie sound was turn the music up when they kiss, turn the music down when they talk," said Jennifer Portman.

Portman, who was born in Los Angeles, finished his career at Florida State University.

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