Robert Towne (born Robert Bertram Schwartz;''

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N Roll Generation Saved Hollywood'' is a book by Peter Biskind, published by Simon & Schuster in 1998. ''Easy Riders, Raging Bulls'' is about the 1960s and 1970s Hollywood, a period of Amer ...

'' by

Peter Biskind Peter Biskind (born 1940) is an American cultural critic, film historian, journalist and former executive editor of ''Premiere'' magazine from 1986 to 1996. Biography He attended Swarthmore College and wrote several books depicting life in Holl ...

page 30, 1999 Bloomsbury edition November 23, 1934) is an American

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

, producer,

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

and

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

. He started with writing films for

Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...

including ''

The Tomb of Ligeia ''The Tomb of Ligeia'' is a 1964 British horror film directed by Roger Corman. Starring Vincent Price and Elizabeth Shepherd, it tells of a man haunted by the spirit of his dead wife and her effect on his second marriage. The screenplay by Robe ...

'' (1964). Later, he became a well-known figure of the

New Hollywood The New Hollywood, also known as American New Wave or Hollywood Renaissance, was a movement in American film history from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, when a new generation of young filmmakers came to prominence. They influenced the types o ...

wave of filmmaking. He is best known for his

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-winning original screenplay for

Roman Polanski Raymond Roman Thierry Polański , group=lower-alpha, name=note_a (né Liebling; 18 August 1933) is a French-Polish film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two ...

's ''

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

'' (1974), which is widely considered one of the greatest screenplays. Towne also wrote the sequel, ''

The Two Jakes ''The Two Jakes'' is a 1990 American neo-noir mystery crime drama film and the sequel to the 1974 film ''Chinatown''. Directed by and starring Jack Nicholson, it also features Harvey Keitel, Meg Tilly, Madeleine Stowe, Richard Farnsworth, Fre ...

'' (1990); the

Hal Ashby William Hal Ashby (September 2, 1929 – December 27, 1988) was an American film director and editor associated with the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking. Before his career as a director Ashby edited films for Norman Jewison, notably ''The R ...

comedy-dramas ''

The Last Detail ''The Last Detail'' is a 1973 American comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby, from a screenplay by Robert Towne, based on the 1970 novel of the same name by Darryl Ponicsan. The film stars Jack Nicholson, Otis Young, Randy Quaid, Clifton James ...

'' (1973) and ''

Shampoo Shampoo () is a hair care product, typically in the form of a Viscosity, viscous liquid, that is used for cleaning hair. Less commonly, shampoo is available in solid bar format. Shampoo is used by applying it to wet hair, massaging the product ...

'' (1975). He is also known for his collaborations with

Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Go ...

on the films '' Days of Thunder'' (1990), '' The Firm'' (1993) and the first two installments of '' Mission: Impossible'' franchise (1996, 2000). Towne directed the sports dramas '' Personal Best'' (1982) and ''

Without Limits ''Without Limits'' is a 1998 American biographical sports film. It is written and directed by Robert Towne and follows the relationship between record-breaking distance runner Steve Prefontaine and his coach Bill Bowerman, who later co-founded ...

'' (1998), the crime thriller '' Tequila Sunrise'' (1988), and the romantic crime drama ''

Ask the Dust ''Ask the Dust'' is the most popular novel of Italian-American author John Fante, first published in 1939 and set during the Great Depression era in Los Angeles. It is one of a series of novels featuring the character Arturo Bandini as Fante's al ...

'' (2006).

Early life

Towne was born in Los Angeles, where he grew up in San Pedro, the son of Helen and Lou Schwartz. He is of

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

n descent through his father, and

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

n descent through his mother; the family was Jewish. He has a younger brother, Roger, who co-wrote the 1984 film ''

The Natural ''The Natural'' is a 1952 novel about baseball by Bernard Malamud, and is his debut novel. The story follows Roy Hobbs, a baseball prodigy whose career is sidetracked after being shot by a woman whose motivation remains mysterious. The story mo ...

'' starring

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the List of awards and nominations received by Robert Redford, recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Awards, Academy Award from four nomi ...

. He graduated from

Pomona College Pomona College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a "college of the New England type" in Southern California. In 1925, it became t ...

in Claremont,

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

Career

Roger Corman

Towne originally sought work as a writer and actor. He took an acting class with

taught by Jeff Corey where his classmates also included

Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...

(with whom he shared an apartment),

Irvin Kershner Irvin Kershner (born Isadore Kershner; April 29, 1923November 27, 2010) was an American film director, actor, and producer of film and television. He gained notice early in his career as a filmmaker for directing quirky, independent drama films ...

, and

Sally Kellerman Sally Clare Kellerman (June 2, 1937 – February 24, 2022) was an American actress and singer whose acting career spanned 60 years. Her role as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in Robert Altman's film '' M*A*S*H'' (1970) earned her an Oscar n ...

.Brady p 390 Corman was renowned for giving work to untested people of talent. Towne wrote the screenplay for the Corman-financed ''

Last Woman on Earth ''Last Woman on Earth'' (often referred to as ''The Last Woman on Earth'', but it appeared without the word ''The'' in the film's title card) is a 1960 American science fiction film that was produced and directed by Roger Corman. It tells the stor ...

'' (1960), in which Towne also played one of the lead roles. The following year he also starred in the Corman-financed ''

Creature from the Haunted Sea ''Creature from the Haunted Sea'' is a 1961 horror comedy film directed by Roger Corman. Written by Charles B. Griffith, the film is a parody of spy, gangster, and monster movies (mostly ''Creature from the Black Lagoon''), concerning a secre ...

'' (1961).

Television

Towne started writing for television on such programs as ''

The Lloyd Bridges Show ''The Lloyd Bridges Show'' is an American anthology drama series produced by Aaron Spelling, which aired on CBS from September 11, 1962, to May 28, 1963, starring and hosted by Lloyd Bridges. Broadcast history ''The Lloyd Bridges Show'', a Four ...

'', '' Breaking Point'', '' The Outer Limits'', and ''

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction television series produced by MGM Television, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television and first broadcast on NBC. The series follows secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who wo ...

''. He also wrote a screenplay for the Corman-directed ''

'' (1965). In 1981 Towne said "I worked harder on...

hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

screenplay for him than on anything I think I have ever done." Towne went back to working in television when Corman hired him to write a script for a Western, which became '' A Time for Killing'' (1967). Corman left the project during filming and Towne took his name off the credits. Towne said later he "hated" the film.Brady p 388

Script doctor

Towne's script for ''A Time for Killing'' had been read and admired by

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, ...

who asked Towne to help out on the script for ''

Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The co ...

'' (1967). Towne later claimed his main contributions were removing the

ménage à trois A () is a domestic arrangement and committed relationship with three people in polyamorous romantic or sexual relations with each other, and often dwelling together; typically a traditional marriage between a man and woman along with anothe ...

relationship between Bonnie, Clyde, and WD, making some structural changes. Towne was on set during filming and continued to work during post production. The film was a huge success and although Towne's contribution was only "special consultant", he began to earn a reputation in Hollywood as a top "script doctor".Brady p 399 Towne was credited on ''

Villa Rides ''Villa Rides'' is a 1968 American Technicolor Western war film in Panavision directed by Buzz Kulik and starring Yul Brynner as Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa and Robert Mitchum as an American adventurer and pilot of fortune. The supporting ...

'' (1968), which he later said he did as a favor for

Robert Evans Robert Evans (born Robert J. Shapera; June 29, 1930October 26, 2019) was an American film producer, studio executive, and actor, best known for his work on '' Rosemary's Baby'' (1968), ''Love Story'' (1970), ''The Godfather'' (1972), and ''Chi ...

head of Paramount. He hated the experience. Towne did uncredited work on the scripts for ''

Drive, He Said ''Drive, He Said'' is a 1971 American independent film directed by Jack Nicholson, in his directorial debut, and starring William Tepper, Karen Black, Bruce Dern, Robert Towne, and Henry Jaglom. Based on the 1964 novel of the same name by Jerem ...

'' (1971), directed by

; '' Cisco Pike'' (1972), which Towne said turned into "a pretty good movie" but where he got "so angry with the director" he took his name off; and ''

The New Centurions ''The New Centurions'' is a 1972 American Panavision neo-noir action crime film based on the 1971 novel of the same name by policeman turned author Joseph Wambaugh. It stars George C. Scott, Stacy Keach, Scott Wilson, Jane Alexander, Rosal ...

'' (1972), where he was to share credit with

Stirling Silliphant Stirling Dale Silliphant (January 16, 1918 – April 26, 1996) was an American screenwriter and Film producer, producer. He is best remembered for his screenplay for ''In the Heat of the Night (film), In the Heat of the Night'', for which he w ...

but asked for his name to be taken off after he saw the film. He did uncredited work for Francis Ford Coppola during the making of ''

The Godfather ''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, ...

'' (1972), mostly the final scene between Michael and Vito, shortly before Vito dies. Coppola thanked Towne in his Academy Award speech for Best Screenplay. Towne also did some work on ''

The Parallax View ''The Parallax View'' is a 1974 American political thriller film produced and directed by Alan J. Pakula, and starring Warren Beatty, Hume Cronyn, William Daniels and Paula Prentiss. The screenplay by David Giler and Lorenzo Semple Jr. was base ...

'' (1974) at the behest of star

''The Last Detail'', ''Chinatown'', and ''Shampoo''

Towne received great acclaim for his film scripts ''

'' (1973), ''

'' (1974), and ''

'' (1975). He was nominated for an Oscar for all three scripts, winning for ''Chinatown''. 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. According to

Sam Wasson Sam Wasson is an American author and publisher, who often writes about the history of cinema in Hollywood. His works include the biography ''Fosse'', the history books ''Improv Nation: How We Made a Great American Art'' and ''The Big Goodbye: Chin ...

's ''The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood'', Towne "secretly employed an old college friend named Edward Taylor as his uncredited writing partner for more than 40 years." Towne was credited for his work on ''

The Yakuza ''The Yakuza'' is a 1974 neo-noir crime drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Mitchum, Ken Takakura and Brian Keith. The screenplay by Paul Schrader and Robert Towne is from a story by Schrader's brother, Leonard Schrader. ...

'' (1975) and did script doctoring on ''

The Missouri Breaks ''The Missouri Breaks'' is a 1976 American Western film starring Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson. The film was directed by Arthur Penn, with supporting performances by Randy Quaid, Harry Dean Stanton, Frederic Forrest, John McLiam, and Kath ...

'' (1976), ''

Orca The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus '' Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white ...

'' (1977) and '' Heaven Can Wait'' (1978).

Director

Towne turned to directing with '' Personal Best'' (1982). He also wrote the script for '' Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes'', hoping to direct, but ''Personal Best'' was a financial failure, meaning he had to sell the ''Greystoke'' script. He grew dissatisfied with the production and credited his dog, P. H. Vazak, with the script. Vazak became the first dog

nominated A candidate, or nominee, is the prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position; for example: * to be elected to an office — in this case a candidate selection procedure occurs. * ...

for an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

for screenwriting. Towne did uncredited work on '' Deal of the Century'' (1983), ''

8 Million Ways to Die ''8 Million Ways to Die'' is a 1986 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Hal Ashby and starring Jeff Bridges, Rosanna Arquette, and Andy Garcia. It was Ashby's final film, and the first attempt to adapt the Matthew Scudder detectiv ...

'' (1986) (), '' Tough Guys Don't Dance'' (1987) and '' Frantic'' (1988). His second feature film as director was '' Tequila Sunrise'' (1988), which he wrote back in the early 1980s. Towne told ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' that ''Tequila Sunrise'' is "a movie about the use and abuse of friendship."

''The Two Jakes''

Towne has expressed his disappointment in ''The Two Jakes'' in many interviews. He told writer Alex Simon, "In the interest of maintaining my friendships with Jack Nicholson and Robert Evans, I’d rather not go into it, but let’s just say ''The Two Jakes'' wasn’t a pleasant experience for any of us. But, we’re all still friends, and that’s what matters most." In a November 5, 2007, interview with MTV, Jack Nicholson claimed that Towne had written the part of Gittes specifically for him. In the same interview, Nicholson also said that Towne had conceived ''Chinatown'' as a trilogy, with the third film set in 1968 and dealing in some way with Howard Hughes. However, Towne says he "does not know how that got started" and denies there was any trilogy planned.

Tom Cruise

Towne wrote the script for '' Days of Thunder'' (1990) and formed a close friendship with its star

. He was one of the writers on Cruise's '' The Firm'' (1993), then Beatty's '' Love Affair'' (1994). Cruise brought him on to '' Mission: Impossible'' (1996) and co-produced Towne's third film as director, ''

'' (1998). He also co-wrote ''

Mission Impossible II ''Mission: Impossible 2'' (titled onscreen as ''Mission: Impossible II'' and abbreviated as ''M:i-2'') is a 2000 action spy film directed by John Woo and produced by and starring Tom Cruise. It is the sequel to '' Mission: Impossible'' (1996) an ...

'' (2000) for Cruise.

Later career

A project Towne had long sought to bring to the screen came to fruition in 2006 with ''

'', a romantic period piece set in Los Angeles based on the acclaimed

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

John Fante John Fante (April 8, 1909 – May 8, 1983) was an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his semi-autobiographical novel ''Ask the Dust'' (1939) about the life of Arturo Bandini, a struggling writer in Depre ...

and starring

Colin Farrell Colin James Farrell (; born 31 May 1976) is an Irish actor. A leading man in projects across various genres in both blockbuster and independent films since the 2000s, he has received numerous accolades including a Golden Globe Award. ''The ...

and

Salma Hayek Salma Hayek Pinault ( , ; born Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez; September 2, 1966) is a Mexican and American actress and film producer. She began her career in Mexico with starring roles in the telenovela ''Teresa'' (1989–1991) as well as the ...

. Towne had found the novel decades earlier during his research for ''Chinatown'', as he was looking for authentic descriptions of 1930s Los Angeles. He enjoyed the book, considering it "the best book about Los Angeles ever written", and arranged a meeting with Fante, himself a screenwriter. As a result of that meeting, Towne was granted the screen rights to the novel. The rights eventually lapsed, and the new owner was

Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...

. In 1993, Towne wrote the script for free in exchange for the chance to direct the film. ''Ask the Dust'' received mixed reviews and failed at the box office. The film was entered into the 28th Moscow International Film Festival. Towne has framed several of his signature films as elaborate

melodramas A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

. He told ''The New York Times'' "I think melodrama is always a splendid occasion to entertain an audience and say things you want to say without rubbing their noses in it. With melodrama, as in dreams, you're always flirting with the disparity between appearance and reality, which is a great deal of fun. And that's also not unrelated to my perception of my life working in Hollywood, where you're always wondering, 'What does that guy really mean?'" In 2006, Towne was the subject of artist

Sarah Morris Sarah Morris (born 20 June 1967 in Sevenoaks, Kent, England) is an American and British artist. She lives in New York City in the United States. Personal life and education Morris was born in Sevenoaks, Kent, in south-east England, on 20 Ju ...

's film, ''Robert Towne''. Morris describes him as an “elliptical figure” whose career exemplifies a certain characteristic mode of working in the film industry, marked by collaboration, shared or changing roles. Morris's painting installation in the lobby of the

Lever House Lever House is a office building at 390 Park Avenue (Manhattan), Park Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The building was designed in the International style (architecture), International Style by Gordon Bunshaft a ...

in Manhattan, commissioned by the Public Art Fund, was also titled "Robert Towne".

Return to television

In the 2010s, Towne returned to television, working as a consulting producer on ''

Mad Men ''Mad Men'' is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television. It ran on the cable network AMC from July 19, 2007, to May 17, 2015, lasting for seven seasons and 92 episodes. Its fict ...

'' and writing two episodes of ''Welcome to the Basement''.

Personal life

In 1968, Towne met actress Julie Payne; they were married from 1977 to 1982. According to Sam Wasson's ''The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood'', Towne was addicted to cocaine during this period and was occasionally violent, which led to a bitter divorce and custody battle over their daughter Katharine (born 1978). In 1984, Towne married Luisa Gaule. They have one daughter, Chiara. He is the former son-in-law of late actor John Payne and actress

Anne Shirley Anne Shirley is a fictional character introduced in the 1908 novel '' Anne of Green Gables'' by L. M. Montgomery. Shirley is featured throughout the classic book series, which revolve around her life and family in 19th and 20th-century Prince Ed ...

. Through his daughter Katharine, his former son-in-law is actor Charlie Hunnam.

Filmography

Credits as writer-director

* '' Personal Best'' (1982) - Also Producer * '' Tequila Sunrise'' (1988) * ''

'' (1998) * ''

'' (2006)

Credits as writer only

* ''

'' (1960) * ''

'' (1963–64) (TV series) - episodes "A Personal Matter", "My Daddy Can Lick Your Daddy" * '' Breaking Point'' (1964) (TV series) - episode: "So Many Pretty Girls, So Little Time" * '' The Outer Limits'' (1964) (TV series) - episode: "The Chameleon" * ''

'' (1964) * ''

'' (1964) (TV series) - episode: "The Dove Affair" * ''

'' (1967) (credited as 'special consultant') * ''

'' (1968) * ''

'' (1971) (uncredited) * '' Cisco Pike'' (1972) (uncredited) * ''

'' (1972) (uncredited) * ''

'' (1973) * ''

'' (1974) * ''

'' (1974) (uncredited) * ''

'' (1974) * ''

'' (1975) * ''

'' (1976) (uncredited) * '' Marathon Man'' (1976) (uncredited) * ''

'' (1977) (uncredited) * '' Heaven Can Wait'' (1978) (uncredited) * ''

Reds Reds may refer to: General * Red (political adjective), supporters of Communism or socialism * Reds (January Uprising), a faction of the Polish insurrectionists during the January Uprising in 1863 * USSR (or, to a lesser extent, China) during th ...

'' (1981) (uncredited consultant) * '' Deal of the Century'' (1983) (uncredited) * '' Swing Shift'' (1984) (uncredited) * '' Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes'' (1984) (as P. H. Vazak) * ''

'' (1986) (uncredited) * '' Tough Guys Don't Dance'' (1987) (uncredited) * '' Frantic'' (1988) (uncredited) * ''

'' (1990) * '' Days of Thunder'' (1990) * '' The Firm'' (1993) * '' Love Affair'' (1994) * '' Crimson Tide'' (1995) (uncredited) * '' Mission: Impossible'' (1996) * '' Mission: Impossible 2'' (2000)

Credits as actor

* ''

'' (1960) (as Edward Wain) * ''

'' (1961) (as Edward Wain)

Other credits

*''

The Young Racers ''The Young Racers'' is a 1963 sports drama film directed by Roger Corman and starring Mark Damon, William Campbell, Luana Anders and Patrick Magee. It is based on the Formula One races in Europe. Plot Joe Machin ( William Campbell), an Am ...

'' (1963) - assistant director

Unmade projects

*''I Flew a Spy Plane Over Russia'' (1962) - script for

Mark McGee, ''Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures'', McFarland, 1996 p201

Future projects

In 2011, Towne was announced as writer-director of ''The 39 Steps'', a proposed remake of the 1935 film directed by

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

. The British producer

Graham King Graham King is an English film producer. King was nominated four times for the Academy Award for Best Picture for producing the films '' The Aviator'' (2004), ''Hugo'' (2011), ''Bohemian Rhapsody'' (2018), and winning for ''The Departed'' (200 ...

revealed that he had hired Towne to write a remake of ''The Battle of Britain'' in a December 2011 interview. In November 2019, it was reported that David Fincher and Towne would write a ''Chinatown'' prequel series for

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

about Jake Gittes starting his agency.

Legacy and honors

In the book ''Fifty Filmmakers'', journalist Andrew J. Rausch argues, "There is a strong case to be made that Robert Towne is the most gifted scribe ever to write for film. There can be little doubt that he is one of the finest ever." Awards *

**1974: Nominated, Best Adapted Screenplay, ''

'' **1975: Won,

Best Original Screenplay The Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay not based upon previously published material. It was created in 1940 as a separate writing award from the Academy Award for Best Story. Beginning with the ...

, ''Chinatown'' **1976: Nominated, Best Original Screenplay, ''Shampoo'' **1985: Nominated, Best Adapted Screenplay, ''Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan'' *

BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cer ...

**1975: Won, Best Screenplay, ''The Last Detail'' and ''Chinatown'' *

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

**1975: Won, Best Screenplay - Motion Picture, ''Chinatown'' *

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...

**1975: Won, Best Motion Picture, ''Chinatown'' (Author) * Writers Guild of America Award **1997:

Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement The Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement (also known as the Screen Laurel Award) is a lifetime achievement award given by the Writers Guild of America. It is given "to that member of the Guild who, in the opinion of the current Board of Dir ...

Nantucket Film Festival The Nantucket Film Festival is a film festival founded in 1996 which focuses on screenwriting. Board members include Donick Cary, Nancy Dubac, Chris Matthews, Kathleen Matthews, Ben Stiller, and Tom Scott. History The Nantucket Film Festival ...

**2015: Screenwriters Tribute Award

References

Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Towne, Robert 1934 births Best Original Screenplay Academy Award winners Best Screenplay BAFTA Award winners Living people American male screenwriters American people of Romanian-Jewish descent American people of Russian-Jewish descent Edgar Award winners Pomona College alumni Writers from Los Angeles Best Screenplay Golden Globe winners People from Rolling Hills, California Screenwriters from California