"I first met him while he was in the midst of editing Tootsie (one of the all-time classics)," Tom Cruise said of Pollack, who died Monday at 73 after a battle with cancer.

"I'd seen every one of his pictures and he generously took the meeting. Years later having lived through some short post schedules myself, I realized just how generous. He spent over six hours, with the patience of Job, answering all my questions.

"Throughout the years, unpretentious and never condescending, he shared with me what he loved about family, storytelling, food, flying and a great bottle of vino. He was a Renaissance man and a great friend. I will miss him dearly."

Barbara Streisand honored her The Way We Were director as "a great actor's director because he was a great actor."

"He knew how to tell a love story," she said in a statement Tuesday. "And he was a very good friend, someone I even shared secrets with."

Similar sentiments were issued by longtime Pollack pal Martin Landau. The men became friends when both were industry newbies.

"Ever since we started together in New York, Sydney excelled at everything he set out to so, his friendships and his humanity no less than his extraordinary talents."

George Clooney, meanwhile, was first out of the gate to remember the Hollywood legend and all-around nice guy, issuing a statement Monday night. Pollack served as a producer on Clooney's two most recent big screen outings, Leatherheads and Michael Clayton.

"Sydney made the world a little better, movies a little better and even dinner a little better. A tip of the hat to a class act. He'll be missed terribly."