Robert Towne
Personal Info
Known for
Writing
Gender
Male
Birthday
1934-11-23
Day of Death
2024-07-01 (89 years old)
Place of Birth
San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA
Robert Towne
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).
Acting
(2019)
(2013)
Salinger
as Self - Screenwriter
(2008)
(2008)
(2005)
(2004)
Suspect Zero
as Professor Dates (uncredited)
(2004)
The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made
as Agent XK150 (archive footage)
(2003)
A Decade Under the Influence
as Self
(2002)
Reel Radicals: The Sixties Revolution in Film
as Self (uncredited)
(2001)
A Sad Flower in the Sand
as Self
(2001)
Rescued from the Closet
as Self
(1998)
(1997)
Cadillac Desert: Water and the Transformation of Nature
as Self - Screenwriter, 'Chinatown'
(1987)
The Pick-up Artist
as Stan
(1975)
Shampoo
as Party Guest (uncredited)
(1971)
Drive, He Said
as Richard
(1971)
The Zodiac Killer
as Man in Bar #3
(1961)
Creature from the Haunted Sea
as Sparks Moran / Agent XK150 / Narrator
(1960)
Last Woman on Earth
as Martin Joyce
Crew
Battle of Britain
Screenplay
(2006)
Ask the Dust
Director, Screenplay
(2000)
Mission: Impossible II
Screenplay
(1998)
Without Limits
Writer, Director
(1996)
Mission: Impossible
Screenplay
(1994)
Love Affair
Screenplay
(1993)
The Firm
Screenplay
(1990)
Days of Thunder
Screenplay, Story
(1990)
The Two Jakes
Writer, Characters
(1988)
Tequila Sunrise
Screenplay, Director
(1988)
Frantic
Additional Writing
(1987)
Tough Guys Don't Dance
Additional Writing
(1987)
The Bedroom Window
Executive Producer
(1986)
8 Million Ways to Die
Additional Writing, Writer
(1984)
(1983)
Deal of the Century
Additional Writing
(1982)
Personal Best
Director, Producer, Writer
(1978)
Heaven Can Wait
Additional Writing
(1975)
Shampoo
Writer
(1974)
The Yakuza
Screenplay
(1974)
The Parallax View
Additional Writing
(1974)
Chinatown
Writer
(1973)
The Last Detail
Screenplay
(1972)
The New Centurions
Additional Writing
(1971)
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
Additional Writing
(1971)
Cisco Pike
Additional Writing
(1971)
Drive, He Said
Additional Writing
(1968)
Villa Rides
Screenplay
(1967)
Bonnie and Clyde
Additional Writing
(1964)
The Tomb of Ligeia
Screenplay
(1960)
Last Woman on Earth
Screenplay