8.7
Movie
Writing
Robert Towne
- Born
- Died
- (aged 89)
- Birthplace
- San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Credits
- 60 titles
Biography
Robert Towne (born Robert Bertram Schwartz; November 23, 1934 - July 1, 2024) was an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor. He was part of the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking. He is best known for his Academy Award-winning original screenplay for Roman Polanski's Chinatown (1974), which is widely considered one of the greatest screenplays ever written. He later said it was inspired by a chapter in Carey McWilliams's Southern California Country: An Island on the Land (1946) and a West magazine article on Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles. Towne also wrote the sequel, The Two Jakes (1990); the Hal Ashby comedy-dramas The Last Detail (1973) and Shampoo (1975); and the first two Mission: Impossible films.
Towne directed the sports dramas Personal Best (1982) and Without Limits (1998), the crime thriller Tequila Sunrise (1988), and the romantic crime drama Ask the Dust (2006).
Description above from the Wikipedia article Robert Towne, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Signature work
Known For
8.7
Movie
7.0
Movie
Mission: Impossible
6.1
Movie
Mission: Impossible II
7.9
Movie
Chinatown
6.7
Movie
The Firm
7.5
Movie
Bonnie and Clyde
6.4
Movie
Days of Thunder
8.1
TV
Mad Men
6.7
Movie
Frantic
6.1
Movie
Tequila Sunrise
6.4
Movie
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
7.2
Movie
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
6.7
Movie
Heaven Can Wait
7.0
Movie
The Last Detail
6.8
Movie
The Parallax View
6.0
Movie
The Two Jakes
6.0
Movie
Shampoo
7.1
Movie
The Yakuza
Acting credits 23
Crew credits 40
| Year | Title | Job |
|---|---|---|
| TBA | Battle of Britain Film | Screenplay |
| 2028 | Days of Thunder 2 Film | Characters |
| 2026 | Ray Gunn Film | Thanks |
| 2012 | Welcome to the Basement TV | Screenplay (1 ep) |
| 2007 | Mad Men TV | Consulting Producer (14 ep) |
| 2006 | Ask the Dust Film | Screenplay, Director |
| 2000 | Mission: Impossible II Film | Screenplay |
| 1998 | Without Limits Film | Director, Writer |
| 1996 | Mission: Impossible Film | Screenplay |
| 1994 | Love Affair Film | Screenplay |
| 1993 | The Firm Film | Screenplay |
| 1990 | The Two Jakes Film | Writer, Characters |
| 1990 | Days of Thunder Film | Screenplay, Story |
| 1989 | Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland Film | Story Consultant |
| 1988 | Tequila Sunrise Film | Director, Screenplay |
| 1988 | Frantic Film | Additional Writing |
| 1987 | Tough Guys Don't Dance Film | Additional Writing |
| 1987 | The Bedroom Window Film | Executive Producer |
| 1986 | 8 Million Ways to Die Film | Additional Writing, Writer |
| 1984 | Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes Film | Screenplay |
| 1983 | Deal of the Century Film | Additional Writing |
| 1982 | Personal Best Film | Director, Producer, Writer |
| 1978 | Heaven Can Wait Film | Additional Writing |
| 1975 | Shampoo Film | Writer |
| 1974 | The Yakuza Film | Screenplay |
| 1974 | Chinatown Film | Writer |
| 1974 | The Parallax View Film | Additional Writing |
| 1973 | The Last Detail Film | Screenplay |
| 1972 | The New Centurions Film | Additional Writing |
| 1972 | The Godfather Film | Story Editor |
| 1972 | Cisco Pike Film | Additional Writing |
| 1971 | McCabe & Mrs. Miller Film | Additional Writing |
| 1971 | Drive, He Said Film | Additional Writing |
| 1968 | Villa Rides Film | Screenplay |
| 1967 | Bonnie and Clyde Film | Additional Writing |
| 1964 | The Tomb of Ligeia Film | Screenplay |
| 1964 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. TV | Writer (1 ep) |
| 1963 | The Outer Limits TV | Writer (1 ep) |
| 1962 | The Lloyd Bridges Show TV | Writer (1 ep) |
| 1960 | Last Woman on Earth Film | Screenplay |