The producer-director was vacationing in Italy with his daughter, who celebrated her 30th birthday last week. The cause of his death is not immediately known and has been variously described as complications from pneumonia and a heart attack.

The U.S. consulate said only that they were contacted by the hospital in Rome where Paltrow passed away and would help the family return his remains to the U.S.

After a battle with throat cancer, Paltrow appeared in excellent health recently. He attended the primetime Emmy awards with his wife last month, and made several public appearances in Italy over the course of the last week, including the Italian premiere of "Minority Report."

Gwyneth, a self-described "daddy's girl," has called her father her best friend and speaks often of their close relationship.

When the actress accepted her Academy Award in 1999, she gave a now famously emotional speech, inspired by her father and grandfather, who were both struggling with cancer at the time. Her grandfather, Arnold "Buster" Paltrow, lost his battle with liver cancer later that year. "I was so close to my grandfather, and my father is my life," she told USA Today in December. "If I didn't have my father, I really feel like I would die."

Bruce Paltrow directed and produced the 2000 film "Duets," in which his daughter made her on-screen singing debut. He also produced several successful television series, including the 1980s hospital drama "St. Elsewhere."

Born in Brooklyn, Paltrow married Danner in 1970. He is survived by his wife and two children, Gwyneth and her younger brother Jake, 27, a director.