KATHMANDU: Joel Schumacher, costume designer-turned director known for helming Batman films and St Elmo's Fire passed away on June 22 after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 80.

According to IANS, Schumacher started off as a costume designer for 1970s films such as Woody Allen directorials Sleeper and Interiors, along with Blume in Love, The Prisoner of Second Avenue and The Last of Sheila.

After working as a production designer on the 1974 telefilm Killer Bees, he turned writer in the late '70s on Sparkle, Car Wash and The Wiz,

Schumacher made his directorial debut in 1981 with sci-fi comedy The Incredible Shrinking Woman.

Considered as one of the most popular storytellers in Hollywood, his other directorial ventures include Flawless, DC Cab, The Lost Boys, Falling Down and John Grisham adaptations The Client and A Time to Kill. And Hollywood A-listers including Val Kilmer, George Clooney. Arnold Schwarzenegger Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage among others have worked in his films.

Many of Schumacher's collaborators remembered the one-of-a-kind director as a friend, visionary and someone who launched careers of several Hollywood stars, as er IANS

Matthew McConaughey said he owes his career to the filmmaker, who gave him the lead role as Jake Brigance in courtroom drama A Time to Kill. "Joel not only took a chance on me, he fought for me. Knowing the studio might never approve a relatively unknown like myself for the lead in 'A Time to Kill,' he set up a secret screen test for me on a Sunday morning in a small unknown studio because as he stated, 'Even if you do great, you may not get the part, so I don't want the industry to ever think you screen tested and DID NOT get the job'," IANS quoted the Oscar winner as saying.

Lost Boys star Corey Feldman revealed that the sober Schumacher tried to keep him from doing drugs on the film shoots, firing him and rehiring him after he said he was given cocaine by an adult on the set. "He tried to prevent my descent," Feldman was quoted as saying.

Cage, who is "very upset" about Schumacher's death said, "He was a great artist and a true friend… I will miss him," he added.

Batman Forever star Jim Carrey was quoted by IANS as saying, "He saw deeper things in me than most and he lived a wonderfully creative and heroic life. I am grateful to have had him as a friend."