American Oscar-winning illustrator, animator, film director and producer Gene Deitch died at the age of 95. He directed 13 episodes of Tom and Jerry and also some of the Popeye: The Sailor Man series, both popular cartoons in the 90s.

Not revealing the cause of his death, Petr Himmel, who happens to be his Czech publisher, told The Associated Press that the filmmaker died unexpectedly during the night from Thursday to Friday. Deitch died in his apartment in Prague's Little Quarter neighborhood.

Born on August 8 in 1924 in Chicago, he visited Prague in 1959 with initial intentions of staying for 10 days. However, after falling in love with his future wife, Zdenka, Gene never moved away from Prague.

On the work front, his movie 'Munro' won the Oscars for Best Animated Short Film in 1960. His co-producted animated short film 'Sidney's Family Tree' was also nominated for an Academy Award in 1958. He was awarded with the Winsor McCay Award for his lifelong contribution to animation in 2004.

Deitch is survived by Zdenka and three sons from his previous marriage to Marie. All his sons followed his footsteps and took up a profession as either a cartoonist or illustrator.