Writer, director of 'Still Alice' dies at 63

LOS ANGELES - Richard Glatzer, the co-director and co-writer of "Still Alice," for which Julianne Moore won a best actress Oscar last month, died Wednesday aged 63 of ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

"I am devastated. Rich was my soul mate, my collaborator, my best friend and my life. Seeing him battle ALS for four years with such grace and courage inspired me and all who knew him," Wash Westmoreland, the film's co-director and his husband, said on Twitter.

"In this dark time, I take some consolation in the fact that he got to see 'Still Alice' go out into the world. He put his heart and soul into that film and the fact that it touched so many people was a constant joy to him." Moore, 54, who stars as a linguistics professor with early-onset Alzheimer's in "Still Alice" won her latest Academy Award February 22, another high point in her career spanning a quarter-century.

ALS is a progressive degenerative nervous system disease that weakens muscles and physical functioning.