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Richard Donner

Directing 91 (deceased) years old Bronx, New York, USA ★ 0.9
Born: April 24, 1930
Died: July 5, 2021

Biography

Richard Donner (born Richard Donald Schwartzberg; April 24, 1930–July 5, 2021) was an American film director and producer. Described as "one of Hollywood's most reliable makers of action blockbusters," Donner directed some of the most financially successful films of the 1970s and 1980s. His 50-year career crossed genres and influenced trends among filmmakers across the world.

Donner began his career in 1957 as a television director. In the 1960s, he directed episodes of the series The Rifleman, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Fugitive, The Twilight Zone, The Banana Splits, and many others. Donner made his film debut with the low-budget aviation drama X-15 in 1961 but had his critical and commercial breakthrough with the horror film The Omen in 1976. He directed the landmark superhero film Superman in 1978, which provided an inspiration for the fantasy film genre to eventually gain artistic respectability and commercial dominance. Donner later went on to direct films in the 1980s such as The Goonies and Scrooged, while reinvigorating the buddy cop film genre with the Lethal Weapon series.

Donner and his wife, Lauren, owned a production company, The Donners' Company, which is most successful for producing the Free Willy and X-Men film franchises. Donner also produced Tales from the Crypt and co-wrote several comic books for Superman publisher DC Comics. In 2000, Donner received the President's Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Richard Donner, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

The Fugitive
The Fugitive Director 1963
Wagon Train
Wagon Train Director 1957
Ironside
Ironside Director 1967
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone Director 1959
Get Smart
Get Smart Director 1965

Jimmy's Seen (1)

The Lost Boys
The Lost Boys Executive Producer 1987

Filmography

Acting Credits (52)

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Self (archive footage) 2024
Superpowered: The DC Story
Superpowered: The DC Story Self (archive footage) 2023
Reunited Apart
Reunited Apart Self 2020
Cursed Films
Cursed Films Self - Director, The Omen 2020
Valerie
Valerie Self 2019
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film Self 2019
Eli Roth's History of Horror
Eli Roth's History of Horror Self 2018
Davi's Way
Davi's Way Self 2018
Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies
Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies Self 2017
Life After Flash
Life After Flash Self 2017
Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond
Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond Self 2016
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire Self - Filmmaker 2014
Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics
Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics Self 2013
Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot
Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot Self 2013
Casting By
Casting By Self 2012
Maximum Impact: The Legacy of 'Lethal Weapon'
Maximum Impact: The Legacy of 'Lethal Weapon' Self 2012
Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics
Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics Self (archive footage) 2010
Making of a Cult Classic: The Unauthorized Story of 'The Goonies'
Making of a Cult Classic: The Unauthorized Story of 'The Goonies' Self 2010
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos Self 2009
Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound
Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound Self - Director, Superman: The Movie 2008
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman Self 2006
Superman II: Restoring the Vision
Superman II: Restoring the Vision Self 2006
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut Man Walking by Diner (uncredited) 2006
Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman
Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman Self 2006
16 Blocks
16 Blocks Man Holding a Birthday Cake (uncredited) 2006
The Curse of 'The Omen'
The Curse of 'The Omen' Self 2005
Timeline
Timeline Man in Car (uncredited) 2003
Out Cold
Out Cold Snooty Bartender (uncredited) 2001
The Omen Legacy
The Omen Legacy Self 2001
Taking Flight: The Development of 'Superman'
Taking Flight: The Development of 'Superman' Self 2001
Making 'Superman': Filming the Legend
Making 'Superman': Filming the Legend Self 2001
666: The Omen Revealed
666: The Omen Revealed 2000
Conspiracy Theory
Conspiracy Theory Cab Passenger (uncredited) 1997
E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story 1996
Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith
Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith 1995
Maverick
Maverick Dealer (uncredited) 1994
HBO First Look
HBO First Look 1992
HBO First Look
HBO First Look Self 1992
First Works
First Works Self 1989
Mel Gibson's Unauthorized Video Diary
Mel Gibson's Unauthorized Video Diary Self 1989
Tales from the Crypt
Tales from the Crypt Man at Bar (uncredited) 1989
The Ultimate Stuntman: A Tribute to Dar Robinson
The Ultimate Stuntman: A Tribute to Dar Robinson Himself 1987
Scream Greats, Vol.2: Satanism and Witchcraft
Scream Greats, Vol.2: Satanism and Witchcraft Himself 1986
The Goonies
The Goonies Policeman (uncredited) 1985
The Making Of The Goonies
The Making Of The Goonies Self 1985
The Making of 'Superman: The Movie'
The Making of 'Superman: The Movie' Self 1982
Inside Moves
Inside Moves Man who closes the ambulance doors (uncredited) 1980
Superman II
Superman II Man Walking by Diner (uncredited) 1980
Superman
Superman Man in Street (extended version) (uncredited) 1978
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Inebriate 1964
Sam Benedict
Sam Benedict Grover Stann 1962
Lassie
Lassie Clay Braddock 1954

Directing Credits (72)

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut Director 2006
16 Blocks
16 Blocks Director 2006
Timeline
Timeline Director 2003
Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 4 Director 1998
Conspiracy Theory
Conspiracy Theory Director 1997
Assassins
Assassins Director 1995
Maverick
Maverick Director 1994
Lethal Weapon 3
Lethal Weapon 3 Director 1992
Radio Flyer
Radio Flyer Director 1992
Two-Fisted Tales
Two-Fisted Tales Director 1992
Lethal Weapon 2
Lethal Weapon 2 Director 1989
Tales from the Crypt
Tales from the Crypt Director 1989
Scrooged
Scrooged Director 1988
Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon Director 1987
The Goonies
The Goonies Director 1985
Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke Director 1985
The Toy
The Toy Director 1982
Inside Moves
Inside Moves Director 1980
Superman
Superman Director 1978
The Omen
The Omen Director 1976
Bronk
Bronk Director 1975
Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic Director 1975
A Shadow in the Streets
A Shadow in the Streets Director 1975
Petrocelli
Petrocelli Director 1974
Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters Director 1974
Lucas Tanner
Lucas Tanner Director 1974
Senior Year
Senior Year Director 1974
Kojak
Kojak Director 1973
Nightside
Nightside Director 1973
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco Director 1972
Banyon
Banyon Director 1972
Ghost Story
Ghost Story Director 1972
The Marshal of Madrid
The Marshal of Madrid Director 1972
Sam Cade
Sam Cade Director 1972
Sarge
Sarge Director 1971
Bearcats!
Bearcats! Director 1971
Cannon
Cannon Director 1971
The Interns
The Interns Director 1970
Twinky
Twinky Director 1970
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Director 1969
Salt & Pepper
Salt & Pepper Director 1968
Ironside
Ironside Director 1967
Jericho
Jericho Director 1966
Felony Squad
Felony Squad Director 1966
It's About Time
It's About Time Director 1966
The F.B.I.
The F.B.I. Director 1965
Get Smart
Get Smart Director 1965
The Trials of O'Brien
The Trials of O'Brien Director 1965
The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West Director 1965
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island Director 1964
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Director 1964
12 O'Clock High
12 O'Clock High Director 1964
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters Director 1963
Mr. Novak
Mr. Novak Director 1963
The Fugitive
The Fugitive Director 1963
The Lieutenant
The Lieutenant Director 1963
Philbert (Three's a Crowd)
Philbert (Three's a Crowd) Director 1963
The Eleventh Hour
The Eleventh Hour Director 1962
Combat!
Combat! Director 1962
Sam Benedict
Sam Benedict Director 1962
X-15
X-15 Director 1961
Route 66
Route 66 Director 1960
The Tall Man
The Tall Man Director 1960
The Detectives
The Detectives Director 1959
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone Director 1959
The Rifleman
The Rifleman Director 1958
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Wanted: Dead or Alive Director 1958
Perry Mason
Perry Mason Director 1957
Wagon Train
Wagon Train Director 1957
Have Gun, Will Travel
Have Gun, Will Travel Director 1957
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Director 1956
Letter to Loretta
Letter to Loretta Director 1953

Writing Credits (1)

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