Robert Towne

writer • producer • actor

Robert Towne (born Robert Bertram Schwartz; November 23, 1934 - July 1, 2024) was an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor. He was part of the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking. He is best known for his Academy Award-winning original screenplay for Roman Polanski's Chinatown (1974), whi...

Born: November 23, 1934 in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA

Died: July 1, 2024 (age 89)

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Known For

8.2

The Firm

Movies & TV Credits

55 total credits across film and television

Title	Rating	Job	Role(s)	Year
What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael Movie	6.6	Actor	Self	2019
Salinger Movie	6.5	Actor	Self - Screenwriter	2013
Welcome to the Basement TV Show	7.0	Writing	Screenplay(1 Episode)	2012
The Story of Film: An Odyssey Limited Series	8.2	Actor	Self(2 Episodes)	2011
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story Movie	7.5	Actor	Self	2008
Revolution! The Making of 'Bonnie and Clyde' Movie	7.1	Actor	Self	2008
Ask the Dust Movie	5.5	Writing	Screenplay	2006
Budd Boetticher: A Man Can Do That Movie	7.1	Actor	Self	2005
Suspect Zero Movie	5.6	Actor	Professor Dates (uncredited)	2004
The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made Movie	4.9	Actor	Agent XK150 (archive footage)	2004
A Decade Under the Influence Movie	7.8	Actor	Self	2003
Reel Radicals: The Sixties Revolution in Film Movie	7.5	Actor	Self (uncredited)	2002
A Sad Flower in the Sand Movie	8.0	Actor	Self	2001
Rescued from the Closet Movie	6.4	Actor	Self	2001
Mission: Impossible II Movie	5.9	Writing	Screenplay	2000
Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy Movie	7.1	Actor	Self	1998
Without Limits Movie	7.4	Directing	Director	1998
Cadillac Desert Limited Series	8.8	Actor	Self - Screenwriter, 'Chinatown'	1997
Mission: Impossible Movie	7.3	Writing	Screenplay	1996
Love Affair Movie	5.8	Writing	Screenplay	1994
The Firm Movie	6.8	Writing	Screenplay	1993
Days of Thunder Movie	6.3	Writing	Screenplay	1990
The Two Jakes Movie	5.9	Writing	Characters	1990
Frantic Movie	6.7	Crew	Additional Writing	1988
Tequila Sunrise Movie	5.9	Directing	Director	1988
The Pick-up Artist Movie	5.3	Actor	Stan	1987
The Bedroom Window Movie	6.2	Production	Executive Producer	1987
Tough Guys Don't Dance Movie	4.8	Crew	Additional Writing	1987
8 Million Ways to Die Movie	5.8	Writing	Writer	1986
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes Movie	6.3	Writing	Writer	1984
Deal of the Century Movie	4.9	Crew	Additional Writing	1983
Personal Best Movie	6.2	Directing	Director	1982
Heaven Can Wait Movie	6.8	Crew	Additional Writing	1978
Shampoo Movie	6.2	Actor	Party Guest (uncredited)	1975
Shampoo Movie	6.2	Writing	Writer	1975
Chinatown Movie	8.2	Writing	Writer	1974
The Parallax View Movie	7.2	Crew	Additional Writing	1974
The Yakuza Movie	7.1	Writing	Screenplay	1974
The Last Detail Movie	7.6	Writing	Screenplay	1973
The New Centurions Movie	6.9	Crew	Additional Writing	1972
Drive, He Said Movie	5.5	Actor	Richard	1971
The Zodiac Killer Movie	4.6	Actor	Man in Bar #3	1971
Cisco Pike Movie	6.3	Crew	Additional Writing	1971
Drive, He Said Movie	5.5	Crew	Additional Writing	1971
McCabe & Mrs. Miller Movie	7.7	Crew	Additional Writing	1971
Villa Rides Movie	6.5	Writing	Screenplay	1968
Bonnie and Clyde Movie	7.8	Crew	Additional Writing	1967
The Tomb of Ligeia Movie	6.3	Writing	Screenplay	1964
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. TV Show	7.5	Writing	Writer(1 Episode)	1964
The Outer Limits TV Show	8.0	Writing	Writer(1 Episode)	1963
The Lloyd Bridges Show TV Show	6.9	Writing	Writer(1 Episode)	1962
Creature from the Haunted Sea Movie	3.7	Actor	Sparks Moran / Agent XK150 / Narrator	1961
Last Woman on Earth Movie	4.5	Actor	Martin Joyce	1960
Last Woman on Earth Movie	4.5	Writing	Screenplay	1960
Battle of Britain Movie	—	Writing	Screenplay	—

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Robert Towne

Known For

Chinatown

Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible II

The Firm

Movies & TV Credits

Videos