Directing
Richard Donner
EN, FR, NL cinema · 83 credits
Born
24 April 1930
Died
5 July 2021 (aged 91)
Birthplace
Bronx, New York, USA
Also known as Richard D. Schwartzberg · Richard D. Donner · R.D. Donner · Dick Donner · Richard Donald Schwartzberg
Richard Donner (born Richard Donald Schwartzberg; April 24, 1930 – July 5, 2021) was an American filmmaker. 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 career spanning more than six decades 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
Filmography
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
as Self (archive footage)
Valerie
as Self
Davi's Way
as Self
Life After Flash
as Self
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
as Self - Filmmaker
Casting By
as Self
Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics
as Self (archive footage)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Executive Producer
Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound
as Self - Director, Superman: The Movie
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited), Director
16 Blocks
as Man Holding a Birthday Cake (uncredited), Director
Timeline
as Man in Car (uncredited), Director, Producer
Ritual
Producer
Out Cold
as Snooty Bartender (uncredited)
The Omen Legacy
as Self
X-Men
Executive Producer
Any Given Sunday
Executive Producer
Made Men
Producer
Lethal Weapon 4
Director, Producer
Conspiracy Theory
as Cab Passenger (uncredited), Director, Producer
Double Tap
Producer
Free Willy 3: The Rescue
Executive Producer
Bordello of Blood
Executive Producer
Assassins
Director, Producer
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight
Executive Producer
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
Executive Producer
The Omen
Executive Producer
W.E.I.R.D. World
Executive Producer
Maverick
as Dealer (uncredited), Director, Producer
Free Willy
Executive Producer
Lethal Weapon 3
Director, Producer
Radio Flyer
Director
Two-Fisted Tales
Director, Executive Producer
Delirious
Executive Producer
First Works
as Self
Lethal Weapon 2
Director, Producer
Scrooged
Producer, Director
Lethal Weapon
Director, Producer
The Lost Boys
Executive Producer
The Goonies
as Policeman (uncredited), Director, Producer
Ladyhawke
Director, Producer
The Toy
Director
The Final Conflict
Executive Producer
Superman II
as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)
Inside Moves
as Man who closes the ambulance doors (uncredited), Director
Superman
as Man in Street (extended version) (uncredited), Director
The Omen
Director
Senior Year
Director
Lucas Tanner
Director
Nightside
Director
Sam Cade
Director
Twinky
Director
Salt & Pepper
Director
X-15
Director