Person Details

Birthday:

Aliases: Richard D. Schwartzberg , Richard D. Donner , R.D. Donner , Dick Donner , Richard Donald Schwartzberg

Gender: Male

Place of birth: Bronx, New York, USA

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 86

TV Involvements: 44


Most Famous Work

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.

Most Famous Work

Have Gun, Will Travel
Average
7

Have Gun, Will Travel

(1957) Director
The Wild Wild West
Average
8

The Wild Wild West

(1965) Director
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Average
6
Perry Mason
Average
8

Perry Mason

(1957) Director
Get Smart
Average
8

Get Smart

(1965) Director
Ironside
Average
7

Ironside

(1967) Director
Combat!
Average
8

Combat!

(1962) Director
The Fugitive
Average
7

The Fugitive

(1963) Director

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2020 Self
Himself - Director, The Omen
2019 Self
Himself
2018 N/A
Self
2017 Self
Self
2016 Self
2014 Self - Filmmaker
2013 Self
Self
2012 Self
Self
2010 Self (archive footage)
Himself
2009 Self
2008 Self - Director, Superman: The Movie
2006 Self
Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)
Self
Man Holding a Birthday Cake (uncredited)
2005 Self
2003 Man in Car (uncredited)
2001 Snooty Bartender (uncredited)
Self
Self
2000 N/A
1996 N/A
1995 N/A
1994 Dealer (uncredited)
1992 Self
N/A
1989 Self
Man at Bar (uncredited)
1986 Himself
1985 Policeman (uncredited)
1980 Man who closes the ambulance doors (uncredited)
Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)
Self
1978 Man in Street (extended version) (uncredited)
Year Character Movie/Tv

Production

Year Role Movie/Tv
2009 Executive Producer
2003 Producer
2002 Producer
2000 Executive Producer
1999 Executive Producer
Producer
Producer
1998 Producer
1997 Producer
Producer
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
1996 Executive Producer
1995 Producer
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
Executive Producer
1994 Executive Producer
Producer
1993 Executive Producer
1992 Producer
Executive Producer
1991 Executive Producer
1989 Producer
Executive Producer
1988 Producer
1987 Executive Producer
Producer
1985 Producer
Producer
1981 Executive Producer
Year Role Movie/Tv

Directing

Year Role Movie/Tv
2006 Director
Director
2003 Director
1998 Director
1997 Director
1995 Director
1994 Director
1992 Director
Director
Director
1989 Director
Director
1988 Director
1987 Director
1985 Director
Director
Director
1982 Director
1980 Director
1978 Director
1976 Director
1975 Director
Director
Director
1974 Director
Director
Director
1973 Director
Director
1972 Director
Director
Director
Director
1971 Director
Director
Director
1970 Director
Director
1968 Director
1967 Director
1966 Director
Director
Director
1965 Director
Director
Director
Director
1964 Director
Director
Director
1963 Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
1962 Director
Director
Director
1961 Director
1960 Director
Director
1959 Director
Director
1958 Director
Director
1957 Director
Director
1956 Director
1953 Director
Year Role Movie/Tv

Writing

Year Role Movie/Tv
Story
Year Role Movie/Tv

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