Robert Towne, celebrated for writing iconic films such as Chinatown and Mission: Impossible, has passed away at the age of 89. Known as one of Hollywood’s greatest screenwriters, Towne won an Oscar for Chinatown in 1974 and received four Oscar nominations during his career.
His work on Shampoo with Warren Beatty and The Last Detail also garnered critical acclaim. Actress Lee Grant, who won an Oscar for Shampoo, praised Towne’s incisive and original contributions to film on social media.
Towne was highly regarded as a script doctor, contributing to films like Bonnie and Clyde and The Godfather, often without official credit.
Notably, Francis Ford Coppola publicly thanked Towne for his contribution to a pivotal scene in The Godfather during his Oscar acceptance speech.
Towne’s screenplay for Chinatown is considered one of the greatest original screenplays, praised for its elegant plot, political charge, and sophisticated dialogue.
His work has been ranked highly by the Writers Guild of America and Vulture, and he remains an influential figure in screenwriting.
Despite some career challenges, including the underwhelming reception of The Two Jakes, Towne made significant contributions to the film industry.
He wrote the racing drama Days of Thunder and the legal thriller The Firm, both starring Tom Cruise, and co-wrote the first Mission: Impossible film.
Towne also directed several films, including Personal Best and Tequila Sunrise, and served as a consulting producer on TV’s Mad Men. He is survived by his second wife, Luisa, and his daughters, Chiara and Katharine.
