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.
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Acting (37 movies)
Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman
2006
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos
2009
Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond
2016
Davi's Way
2018
666: The Omen Revealed
2000
Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot
2013
Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics
2013
Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith
1995
Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies
2017
Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound
2008
Superman
1978
Making of a Cult Classic: The Unauthorized Story of 'The Goonies'
2010
Scream Greats, Vol.2: Satanism and Witchcraft
1986
Conspiracy Theory
1997
Taking Flight: The Development of 'Superman'
2001
The Making of 'Superman: The Movie'
1982
Making 'Superman': Filming the Legend
2001
First Works
1989
Life After Flash
2017
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film
2019
The Curse of 'The Omen'
2005
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
2014
The Goonies
1985
Valerie
2019
Superman II
1980
Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics
2010
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
2006
Inside Moves
1980
Maverick
1994
Out Cold
2001
Timeline
2003
16 Blocks
2006
Casting By
2012
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman
2006
Superman II: Restoring the Vision
2006
The Omen Legacy
2001
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
2024
Directing (30 movies)
Ladyhawke
1985
The Omen
1976
Superman
1978
Lethal Weapon
1987
Lethal Weapon 2
1989
Lethal Weapon 3
1992
Lethal Weapon 4
1998
16 Blocks
2006
Radio Flyer
1992
The Toy
1982
Nightside
1973
The Goonies
1985
Conspiracy Theory
1997
Maverick
1994
Assassins
1995
Salt & Pepper
1968
Timeline
2003
Scrooged
1988
X-15
1961
Inside Moves
1980
Twinky
1970
Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
1975
Two-Fisted Tales
1992
Philbert (Three's a Crowd)
1963
A Shadow in the Streets
1975
Senior Year
1974
Lucas Tanner
1974
The Marshal of Madrid
1972
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
2006
Sam Cade
1972
| Title | Year | Job |
|---|---|---|
| The Final Conflict | 1981 | Executive Producer |
| Ladyhawke | 1985 | Producer |
| The Goonies | 1985 | Producer |
| Lethal Weapon | 1987 | Producer |
| The Lost Boys | 1987 | Executive Producer |
| Scrooged | 1988 | Producer |
| Lethal Weapon 2 | 1989 | Producer |
| Delirious | 1991 | Executive Producer |
| Two-Fisted Tales | 1992 | Executive Producer |
| Lethal Weapon 3 | 1992 | Producer |
| Free Willy | 1993 | Executive Producer |
| Maverick | 1994 | Producer |
| Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight | 1995 | Executive Producer |
| Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home | 1995 | Executive Producer |
| The Omen | 1995 | Executive Producer |
| W.E.I.R.D. World | 1995 | Executive Producer |
| Assassins | 1995 | Producer |
| Bordello of Blood | 1996 | Executive Producer |
| Free Willy 3: The Rescue | 1997 | Executive Producer |
| Conspiracy Theory | 1997 | Producer |
| Double Tap | 1997 | Producer |
| Lethal Weapon 4 | 1998 | Producer |
| Made Men | 1999 | Producer |
| Tales from the Crypt: The Robert Zemeckis Collection | 1999 | Producer |
| Any Given Sunday | 1999 | Executive Producer |
| X-Men | 2000 | Executive Producer |
| Ritual | 2002 | Producer |
| Timeline | 2003 | Producer |
| X-Men Origins: Wolverine | 2009 | Executive Producer |