Legendary Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, best known for his Oscar-nominated film "Romeo and Juliet" (1968), died Saturday at the age of 96.

“He had suffered for a while, but he left in a peaceful way,” his son Luciano told the Associated Press.

Zeffirelli was famous for making opulent, extravagant, sweeping romantic dramas. He started out in the 1950s as a costume and set designer before directing operas at La Scala and Shakespearean plays in London's Covent Garden.

He made his film directorial debut with 1967's "Taming of the Shrew," starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

The next year, he made "Romeo and Juliet" with two unknown teenagers, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, as the leads. It earned Academy Awards for cinematography and costume design.

In 1990, he directed an acclaimed version of "Hamlet," starring Mel Gibson and Glenn Close.

His lavish romantic style extended to more modern stories like "The Champ" and "Endless Love" (with Brooke Shields and Tom Cruise). Zeffirelli also made the sweeping epic miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" in 1977.

Zeffirelli is survived by two adopted sons, Giuseppe (known as Pippo) and Luciano, who worked with him closely and served as his caretakers later in life.