Robert Snyder

Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Robert Snyder, whose subjects included Michelangelo and his own father-in-law, futurist R. Buckminster Fuller, died March 21 at his home in Los Angeles, family friend and business associate John Ferry said.

Mr. Snyder was 88.

The cause of death was not clear, but Mr. Snyder had been hospitalized multiple times for pneumonia over the past year, Ferry said.

Mr. Snyder won an Academy Award in 1950 as producer of " The Titan: Story of Michelangelo. " He was nominated again in 1958 for the insect documentary " The Hidden World. "

Mr. Snyder produced or directed more than a half-dozen biographical documentaries over his career, tackling subjects as varied as author Henry Miller and cellist Pablo Casals.

His father-in-law, Fuller, was the subject of two of his works, 1968 ' s " Buckminster Fuller on Spaceship Earth " and, three years later, " The World of Buckminster Fuller. "

Last year, Mr. Snyder completed a feature-length documentary on Casals, " Pablo Casals: A Cry for Peace. "

In addition to his film production credits, Mr. Snyder wrote three books: " This is Henry, Henry Miller From Brooklyn " ; " Anais Nin Observed: From a Film Portrait of a Woman as Artist " ; and " Buckminster Fuller: An Autobiographical Monologue Scenario. "

Mr. Snyder is survived by his wife, Allegra Fuller Snyder; son, Jaime Snyder; daughter, Alexandra May; two grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and two sisters.