Sidney Lumet, the New York born director behind ‘12 Angry Men’, ‘Network’, ‘Serpico’, and ‘Dog Day Afternoon’ has died at his Manhattan home, aged 86, after battling lymphoma.

Fellow New York directors Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen were among those who paid tribute to the man.

Scorsese said Lumet was a: “New York filmmaker at heart, and our vision of the city has been enhanced and deepened by classics like Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon and, above all, the remarkable Prince of the City.”

While Allen said Lumet was: “The quintessential Big Apple director. I'm constantly amazed at how many films of his prodigious output were wonderful and how many actors and actresses had their best work under his direction. Knowing Sidney, he will have more energy dead than most live people.”

Jane Fonda, who worked with Lumet on the thriller, ‘The Morning After’, in 1986 also paid tribute, describing him as a “kind and generous” man, and pointing out he was the only director her father, Henry Fonda ever produced.

’12 Angry Men’ was released in 1957, and starred Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam, Jack Klugman, Jack Warden and Ed Begley. The courtroom drama about jurors at a murder trial is regularly listed as one of the greatest films ever made, and the number one courtroom drama ever made.

Lumet was a great champion of his home city, making many of his films there and dealing with issues directly affecting New York. In 2005, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oscars.

Other films in his career included ‘The Wiz’ starring Michael Jackson, ‘The Anderson Tapes’, starring Sean Connery, ‘The Fugitive Kind’ starring Marlon Brando, ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ starring Albert Finney and ‘Deathtrap’ starring Christopher Reeve and Michael Caine.

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