Louis Malle, the French director of the landmark American films "Pretty Baby," "Atlantic City" and "My Dinner With Andre," has died, a publicist said today. He was 63.

Malle, the husband of "Murphy Brown" star Candice Bergen, died Thursday evening at the couple's home from lymphoma complications, publicist Pat Kingsley said.Malle finished his last film, "Vanya on 42nd Street," last year.

In a career spanning over 40 years and studded with prizes, Malle was known for taking on subjects as controversial as incest, French collaboration with the Na

zis, the American mob and child prostitution, as in his first U.S.-made film, 1978's "Pretty Baby."

His versatility ranged from his early documentary work with oceanographer Jacques Cousteau documentaries to the stylish sex drama "Damage" in 1992.

One of his most acclaimed films was his autobiographical World War II story "Au Revoir, Les Enfants" ("Goodbye, Children"), released in 1987. That film won seven Cesars, the French equivalent of the Academy Awards, and a Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival that year. The film portrayed Malle's childhood experience of losing a boarding school friend in France during the German occupation.

"I have the impression that with each film I have to start again from zero and remake my first film each time. In a way it's good," he said in 1992.

His other films include "Murmur of the Heart," "The Lovers," "Crackers," "Alamo Bay," "A Very Private Affair" and "The Fire Within."

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Malle, an heir to the Beghin sugar fortune, was born on Oct. 30, 1932, in northern France.

He studied at the University of Paris and the a French film institute before beginning his career as Cousteau's assistant on the ship Calypso from 1953 to 1955.

Their film "Le Monde du Silence" ("The World of Silence") won a Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival in 1956 and an Oscar the following year for best documentary.

He is survived by Bergen and their daughter Chloe. Bergen was traveling today with the body to France, where a service would be held next week, Kingsley said.

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