Jules Dassin, the acclaimed director of many classic films, has died at age 96. Though American born, Dassin became a native of Greece after marrying actress Melina Mercouri in the 1960s. He directed her in two of her greatest film successes: Never on Sunday and the crime caper Topkapi, which is being remade as a sequel to Pierce Brosnan's 1999 remake of another film, The Thomas Crown Affair. Dassin was a shining star in Hollywood, having served as an assistant to Alfred Hitchcock before turning to directing. Among his early successes: the prison break drama Brute Force and the film noir classics The Naked City and Night and the City. Dassin was driven from Hollywood after being named a Communist during the McCarthy hearings. He emigrated to Europe where he directed the classic French heist movie Rififi. By the 1960s, his work was once again popular in America, though following his hit Topkapi, he would not have another major box-office success. He became disillusioned with directing following the flop of his last film Circle of Two, a 1980 May/December romance starring Richard Burton and Tatum O'Neal. Following the death of his activist wife in 1994, Dassin devoted his time to her most passionate cause: getting the ancient Elgin Marbles returned to Greece from England. The marbles, which once decorated the Parthenon, have have been the center of controversy since 1801 when they were removed by the British and sent to England. For a tribute to Jules Dassin and clips from his films click here