Robert Towne

American screenwriter, producer, director and actor (1934–2024)

Robert Towne (born Robert Bertram Schwartz;[1][2] November 23, 1934 – July 1, 2024) was an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor.

Robert Towne
Towne in 2009
Born
Robert Bertram Schwartz

(1934-11-23)November 23, 1934
DiedJuly 1, 2024(2024-07-01) (aged 89)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Writer, director, producer, actor
Years active1960–2024
Spouse(s)Julie Payne
(m. 1977; div. 1982?)
Luisa Gaule
(m. 1984)
Children2

Towne 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). Towne also wrote the sequel, The Two Jakes (1990).

Towne was also known for his screenplays for The Last Detail (1973) and Shampoo (1975); and the first two Mission: Impossible movies.

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).

Towne died on July 1, 2024 at the age of 89, at his home in Los Angeles, California.[3]

References

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  1. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls by Peter Biskind page 30, 1999 Bloomsbury edition ISBN 978-0-7475-4421-0
  2. According to the State of California. California Birth Index, 1905-1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. Searchable at http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/39461 Archived 2011-04-27 at the Wayback Machine
  3. McLellan, Dennis (July 2, 2024). "Robert Towne, Oscar-winning screenwriting icon behind 'Chinatown,' dies at 89". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 3 July 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024.

Other websites

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