Richard Donner

Personal Info

Known For Director

Gender Male

Birthday 1930-04-24

Deathday 2021-07-05 (91 years old)

Place of Birth Bronx, New York, USA

Also Known As Richard D. Schwartzberg, Richard D. Donner, R.D. Donner, Dick Donner, Richard Donald Schwartzberg

Richard Donner

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.

Known For

Director

2006
16 Blocks

as Director

2003
Timeline

as Director

1998
Lethal Weapon 4

as Director

1997
Conspiracy Theory

as Director

1995
Assassins

as Director

1994
Maverick

as Director

1992
Lethal Weapon 3

as Director

1992
Radio Flyer

as Director

1992
Two-Fisted Tales

as Director

1989
Lethal Weapon 2

as Director

1989
1988
Scrooged

as Director

1987
Lethal Weapon

as Director

1985
Ladyhawke

as Director

1985
The Goonies

as Director

1982
The Toy

as Director

1980
Inside Moves

as Director

1978
Superman

as Director

1976
The Omen

as Director

1975
1975
Bronk

as Director

1974
Senior Year

as Director

1974
Lucas Tanner

as Director

1974
Petrocelli

as Director

1973
Nightside

as Director

1973
Kojak

as Director

1972
1972
Sam Cade

as Director

1972
Banyon

as Director

1972
Ghost Story

as Director

1971
Sarge

as Director

1971
Cannon

as Director

1971
Bearcats!

as Director

1970
Twinky

as Director

1970
The Interns

as Director

1968
Salt & Pepper

as Director

1967
Ironside

as Director

1966
Felony Squad

as Director

1966
It's About Time

as Director

1966
Jericho

as Director

1965
The Wild Wild West

as Director

1965
The F.B.I.

as Director

1965
Get Smart

as Director

1965
1964
1964
Gilligan's Island

as Director

1964
12 O'Clock High

as Director

1963
The Fugitive

as Director

1963
Mr. Novak

as Director

1963
The Lieutenant

as Director

1962
Sam Benedict

as Director

1962
The Eleventh Hour

as Director

1962
Combat!

as Director

1961
X-15

as Director

1960
Route 66

as Director

1960
The Tall Man

as Director

1959
The Twilight Zone

as Director

1959
The Detectives

as Director

1958
1958
The Rifleman

as Director

1957
Perry Mason

as Director

1957
1957
Wagon Train

as Director

1953
Letter to Loretta

as Director

Actor

2024
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

as Self (archive footage)

2020
2020
Cursed Films

as Self - Director, The Omen

2019
Valerie

as Self

2018
Davi's Way

as Self

2017
2014
2012
Casting By

as Self

2010
Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics

as Self (archive footage)

2008
Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound

as Self - Director, Superman: The Movie

2006
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)

2006
16 Blocks

as Man Holding a Birthday Cake (uncredited)

2003
Timeline

as Man in Car (uncredited)

2001
Out Cold

as Snooty Bartender (uncredited)

1997
Conspiracy Theory

as Cab Passenger (uncredited)

1994
Maverick

as Dealer (uncredited)

1992
1989
First Works

as Self

1989
Tales from the Crypt

as Man at Bar (uncredited)

1985
The Goonies

as Policeman (uncredited)

1980
Inside Moves

as Man who closes the ambulance doors (uncredited)

1980
Superman II

as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)

1978
Superman

as Man in Street (extended version) (uncredited)

1964
1962
Sam Benedict

as Grover Stann

1954
Lassie

as Clay Braddock

Producer

2009
X-Men Origins: Wolverine

as Executive Producer

2003
Timeline

as Producer

2002
Ritual

as Producer

2000
X-Men

as Executive Producer

1999
Any Given Sunday

as Executive Producer

1999
Made Men

as Producer

1998
Lethal Weapon 4

as Producer

1997
Conspiracy Theory

as Producer

1997
Double Tap

as Producer

1997
Free Willy 3: The Rescue

as Executive Producer

1997
Perversions of Science

as Executive Producer

1996
Bordello of Blood

as Executive Producer

1995
Assassins

as Producer

1995
1995
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home

as Executive Producer

1995
The Omen

as Executive Producer

1995
W.E.I.R.D. World

as Executive Producer

1994
Maverick

as Producer

1994
Free Willy

as Executive Producer

1993
Free Willy

as Executive Producer

1992
Lethal Weapon 3

as Producer

1992
Two-Fisted Tales

as Executive Producer

1991
Delirious

as Executive Producer

1989
Lethal Weapon 2

as Producer

1989
Tales from the Crypt

as Executive Producer

1988
Scrooged

as Producer

1987
Lethal Weapon

as Producer

1987
The Lost Boys

as Executive Producer

1985
Ladyhawke

as Producer

1985
The Goonies

as Producer

1981
The Final Conflict

as Executive Producer

Writer

Camera

1980
Superman II

as Director of Photography