Richard Donner
Known for Directing · 51 credits
- Born
- 1930-04-24
- Died
- 2021-07-05
- Place of birth
- Bronx, New York, USA
- Also known as
- Richard D. Schwartzberg · Richard D. Donner · R.D. Donner · Dick Donner · Richard Donald Schwartzberg
Biography
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
TV Shows (10)
Lassie
1954
as Clay Braddock
Tales from the Crypt
1989
as Man at Bar (uncredited)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1964
as Inebriate
HBO First Look
1992
as Self
Eli Roth's History of Horror
2018
as Self
Reunited Apart
2020
as Self
Sam Benedict
1962
as Grover Stann
Superpowered: The DC Story
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Cursed Films
2020
as Self - Director, The Omen
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
Movies (41)
The Goonies
1985
as Policeman (uncredited)
Superman
1978
as Man in Street (extended version) (uncredited)
Superman II
1980
as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)
Conspiracy Theory
1997
as Cab Passenger (uncredited)
Maverick
1994
as Dealer (uncredited)
16 Blocks
2006
as Man Holding a Birthday Cake (uncredited)
Timeline
2003
as Man in Car (uncredited)
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
2006
as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
2024
as Self (archive footage)
Out Cold
2001
as Snooty Bartender (uncredited)
Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics
2013
Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies
2017
as Self
Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman
2006
as Self
Casting By
2012
as Self
Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics
2010
as Self (archive footage)
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
2014
as Self - Filmmaker
The Making of 'Superman: The Movie'
1982
as Self
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos
2009
as Self
Inside Moves
1980
as Man who closes the ambulance doors (uncredited)
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman
2006
as Self
Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot
2013
as Self
Maximum Impact: The Legacy of 'Lethal Weapon'
2012
as Self
Making of a Cult Classic: The Unauthorized Story of 'The Goonies'
2010
as Self
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film
2019
as Self
Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound
2008
as Self - Director, Superman: The Movie
Davi's Way
2018
as Self
Life After Flash
2017
as Self
The Making Of The Goonies
1985
as Self
Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond
2016
as Self
Valerie
2019
as Self
Making 'Superman': Filming the Legend
2001
as Self
Taking Flight: The Development of 'Superman'
2001
as Self
The Ultimate Stuntman: A Tribute to Dar Robinson
1987
as Himself
666: The Omen Revealed
2000
The Omen Legacy
2001
as Self
Scream Greats, Vol.2: Satanism and Witchcraft
1986
as Himself
First Works
1989
as Self
Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith
1995
Superman II: Restoring the Vision
2006
as Self
The Curse of 'The Omen'
2005
as Self
Mel Gibson's Unauthorized Video Diary
1989
as Self
About Richard Donner
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, Th… With 51 credits spanning from 1954 to 2024, Richard Donner has appeared in 41 films and 10 TV shows.
Fans searching for Richard Donner movies, Richard Donner filmography, or the latest projects starring Richard Donner can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Richard Donner Movies
- The Goonies (1985) — as Policeman (uncredited)
- Superman (1978) — as Man in Street (extended version) (uncredited)
- Superman II (1980) — as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)
- Conspiracy Theory (1997) — as Cab Passenger (uncredited)
- Maverick (1994) — as Dealer (uncredited)
Where to Watch Richard Donner Films
Most Richard Donner movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Richard Donner, check our movies catalogue and browse page.