The two first met while Pollack was directing 'Tootsie.'

TOM CRUISE said he remembers the late director SYDNEY POLLACK, who died over the weekend of cancer at age 73, as a generous, patient and unpretentious man.

Cruise said he had seen every one of Pollack's movies when they first met and he said the director was very generous at the time. "Years later, having lived through some short post schedules myself, I realized just how generous he was. 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," Cruise said. "He was a Renaissance man and a great friend. I will miss him dearly."

Pollack ('Tootsie,' 'Out of Africa,' 'The Electric Horseman') died from cancer Monday at his Pacific Palisades home in Los Angeles. He was diagnosed approximately one year ago, but doctors reportedly were unable to determine what type of cancer he had.