Related: “How Ed Koch Helped Make Nikki Finke a Reporter”

On the same day as a feature documentary about him is being released, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch has died. He was 88. Koch, a master showman during his three terms in office and beyond, passed away at 2 AM New York time from congestive heart failure, his spokesman told The New York Times. He was being treated at New York-Presbyterian Columbia Hospital and his illness prevented him from attending the Tuesday premiere of Koch, Neil Barsky’s documentary that Zeitgeist is releasing today. Koch was Mayor of New York City from 1978-1989 and before that served in the House of Representatives from 1969-1977. His entertainment ties included a stint as a judge on The People’s Court and as a film critic via his Web show Mayor At The Movies. He also appeared in more than 60 Hollywood films and TV shows as himself, including The First Wives Club, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Sex And The City, Spin City and Saturday Night Live. And, in a way, he also had a hand in this year’s Oscar telecast. The show’s producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron’s first real job together was producing a celebration of Koch’s inauguration for Public Theater impresario Joe Papp. Here is a link to the NYT’s extensive obituary.