Robert Towne

Writer and director. Born 23 November 1934 in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA. Died 1 July 2024.

Titles on Fi1m1 directing · 7 writing · 1 producing · 3 crew · 1 other

Average Fi1m scoreas writer · 7 titles

Oscar1 won · 3 nominated

Born

23 November 1934, San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA

Died

1 July 2024

Active

1967–2007

Frequently works with

Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner

Ask DiscoverWhich Robert Towne film should I start with?Is Mission: Impossible II worth watching?What is Robert Towne best at?

The arc

Average Fi1m score of the work we have reviewed, by decade.

Fi1m against the critics

76Fi1m

68Critics

We rate Robert’s work 8 points above the press, across 6 titles with a critics’ score.

The spread

80 and above3

60 to 793

Under 601

Of 7 reviewed titles as writer.

In numbers

Reviewed: 7 films
Screen time: 16 hours of reviewed films
Box office: $1.8bn across 7 films with figures
Academy Awards: 1 Oscar1 won · 3 nominated
Active: 1967–2007

Genres

Adventure4
Drama4
Thriller4
Action3
Crime2
Mystery2

Best and worst on Fi1m

93BestChinatown1974

55WorstMission: Impossible II2000

Credits by decade

Everything credited, reviewed or not.

81960s

121970s

101980s

71990s

52000s

12010s

12020s

Co-stars most worked with

Tom Cruise4 titles

Producers most worked with

Paula Wagner2 titles

Awards

Academy Awards1 won · 3 nominated

Nominated1985Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Nominated1976Best Writing, Original Screenplay · Shampoo
Won1975Best Writing, Original Screenplay · Chinatown
Nominated1974Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · The Last Detail

Other awards1 won

Won1975Edgar Awards: Edgar Awards

Awards from Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.