---
name: "Robert Towne"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/robert-towne"
fi1m_id: "robert-towne"
imdb_id: "nm0001801"
tmdb_id: 11057
wikidata_id: "Q721922"
roles: ["Writer","Director"]
born: "23 November 1934"
died: "1 July 2024"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 13
average_fi1m_score: 74
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-10-10T15:53:18.398665+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Robert Towne

## Identity

Robert Towne

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/robert-towne
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** robert-towne
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001801
- **TMDB ID:** 11057
- **Wikidata ID:** Q721922
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Towne, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q721922, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001801/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11057

Writer and director. Born 23 November 1934 in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA. Died 1 July 2024.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer, Director
- **Born:** 23 November 1934, San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA
- **Died:** 1 July 2024
- **Active:** 1967–2007
- **Also known as:** P. H. Vasak, Роберт Таун, Robert Bertram Schwartz
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 13: 1 directing, 7 writing, 1 producing, 3 crew, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Tom Cruise](https://film.one/person/tom-cruise.md), [Paula Wagner](https://film.one/person/paula-wagner.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 3 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as writer, over 7 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 88 (1), 1970s 88 (4), 1980s 64 (2), 1990s 71 (3), 2000s 72 (2), 2020s 64 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 76 to 68 across 6 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Genres:** Adventure 4, Drama 4, Thriller 4, Action 3, Crime 2, Mystery 2
- **Screen time:** 16 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,753m across 7 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Towne, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q721922, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001801/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11057

## Coming up

- *Days of Thunder 2* (2028-06-01), Characters

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Mission: Impossible*](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible.md) (81), [*Days of Thunder*](https://film.one/film/days-of-thunder.md) (61)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Chinatown*](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md) (93)
- **HBO Max:** [*The Firm*](https://film.one/film/the-firm.md) (71)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes*](https://film.one/film/greystoke-the-legend-of-tarzan-lord-of-the-apes.md) (65)
- **Tubi:** [*Tequila Sunrise*](https://film.one/film/tequila-sunrise.md) (62)
- **Paramount+:** [*Mission: Impossible II*](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible-ii.md) (55)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Robert Towne was an American screenwriter, director and script doctor. Born Robert Bertram Schwartz on 23 November 1934 in San Pedro, Los Angeles, he died on 1 July 2024. He began his career writing for Roger Corman and studying acting alongside Jack Nicholson before becoming a prominent figure in the New Hollywood era.

Towne received an Academy Award for his original screenplay for *Chinatown* (1974), directed by Roman Polanski. He was also nominated for *The Last Detail* (1973) and *Shampoo* (1975), both directed by Hal Ashby, and wrote the sequel *The Two Jakes* (1990). He contributed uncredited work to films including *Bonnie and Clyde* (1967) and *The Godfather* (1972). Later credits include the screenplays for *Days of Thunder* (1990), *The Firm* (1993) and the first two *Mission: Impossible* films (1996, 2000). He directed *Personal Best* (1982), *Tequila Sunrise* (1988) and *Without Limits* (1998).

Towne used the pseudonym P. H. Vasak for *Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes* (1984). He received a lifetime achievement award from the Writers Guild of America in 1997 and worked as a consulting producer on the television series *Mad Men*.

*Sources: theguardian.com, hollywoodreporter.com, en.wikipedia.org, variety.com.*

## On Fi1m (13)

### Directed (1)

- *Tequila Sunrise* (1988), Fi1m 62, Screenplay, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/tequila-sunrise.md)

### Wrote (7) — the average rests on these

- *Mission: Impossible II* (2000), Fi1m 55, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible-ii.md)
- *Mission: Impossible* (1996), Fi1m 81, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible.md)
- *The Firm* (1993), Fi1m 71, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-firm.md)
- *Days of Thunder* (1990), Fi1m 61, Screenplay, Story — [page](https://film.one/film/days-of-thunder.md)
- *Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes* (1984), Fi1m 65, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/greystoke-the-legend-of-tarzan-lord-of-the-apes.md)
- *Chinatown* (1974), Fi1m 93, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md)
- *The Godfather* (1972), Fi1m 93, Story Editor — [page](https://film.one/film/the-godfather.md)

### Produced (1)

- *Mad Men* (2007), Fi1m 88, Consulting Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/mad-men.md)

### Crew (3)

- *Heaven Can Wait* (1978), Fi1m 74, Additional Writing — [page](https://film.one/film/heaven-can-wait.md)
- *McCabe & Mrs. Miller* (1971), Fi1m 90, Additional Writing — [page](https://film.one/film/mccabe-and-mrs-miller.md)
- *Bonnie and Clyde* (1967), Fi1m 88, Additional Writing — [page](https://film.one/film/bonnie-and-clyde.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Ray Gunn* (2026), Fi1m 64, Thanks — [page](https://film.one/film/ray-gunn.md)

## Complete filmography (46)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Days of Thunder 2* (2028), Characters
- *Welcome to the Basement* (2012), series, Screenplay
- *Making of Chinatown* (2007), Actor
- *Mad Men* (2007), series, Consulting Producer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/mad-men.md)
- *Ask the Dust* (2006), Screenplay, Director
- *Suspect Zero* (2004), as Professor Dates (uncredited)
- *Mission: Impossible II* (2000), Screenplay — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible-ii.md)
- *Without Limits* (1998), Writer, Director
- *Mission: Impossible* (1996), Screenplay — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/mission-impossible.md)
- *Love Affair* (1994), Screenplay
- *The Firm* (1993), Screenplay — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/the-firm.md)
- *Halloween Monster Bash* (1991), as Sparks Moran (archive footage)
- *The Two Jakes* (1990), Writer, Characters
- *Days of Thunder* (1990), Screenplay, Story — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/days-of-thunder.md)
- *Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland* (1989), Story Consultant
- *Tequila Sunrise* (1988), Screenplay, Director — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/tequila-sunrise.md)
- *Frantic* (1988), as Additional Writing
- *The Pick-up Artist* (1987), as Stan
- *Tough Guys Don't Dance* (1987), as Additional Writing
- *The Bedroom Window* (1987), Executive Producer
- *8 Million Ways to Die* (1986), as Additional Writing · Writer
- *Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes* (1984), Screenplay — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/greystoke-the-legend-of-tarzan-lord-of-the-apes.md)
- *Deal of the Century* (1983), as Additional Writing
- *Personal Best* (1982), Director, Producer, Writer
- *Heaven Can Wait* (1978), as Additional Writing — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/heaven-can-wait.md)
- *Shampoo* (1975), as Party Guest (uncredited) · Writer
- *The Yakuza* (1974), Screenplay
- *Chinatown* (1974), Writer — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md)
- *The Parallax View* (1974), as Additional Writing
- *The Last Detail* (1973), Screenplay
- *The New Centurions* (1972), as Additional Writing
- *The Godfather* (1972), Story Editor — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/the-godfather.md)
- *Cisco Pike* (1972), as Additional Writing
- *McCabe & Mrs. Miller* (1971), as Additional Writing — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/mccabe-and-mrs-miller.md)
- *Drive, He Said* (1971), as Richard, Additional Writing
- *The Zodiac Killer* (1971), as Man in Bar #3
- *Villa Rides* (1968), Screenplay
- *Bonnie and Clyde* (1967), as Additional Writing — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/bonnie-and-clyde.md)
- *The Tomb of Ligeia* (1964), Screenplay
- *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* (1964), series, Writer
- *The Outer Limits* (1963), series, Writer
- *The Lloyd Bridges Show* (1962), series, Writer
- *Creature from the Haunted Sea* (1961), as Sparks Moran / Agent XK150 / Narrator
- *Last Woman on Earth* (1960), as Martin Joyce · Screenplay
- *Battle of Britain*, Screenplay
- *Robert Towne*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Big Sky Drive-In theater advertisement for the science fiction film Last Woman on Earth (1960), from the 15 September 1960 National City Star-News.](https://film.one/media/person/59490/gallery-31e11919ed21.jpg) Big Sky Drive-In theater advertisement for the science fiction film Last Woman on Earth (1960), from the 15 September 1960 National City Star-News. — Filmgroup, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Big_Sky_Drive-in_Ad_-_15_September_1960%2C_Chula_Vista%2C_CA.jpg/1280px-Big_Sky_Drive-in_Ad_-_15_September_1960%2C_Chula_Vista%2C_CA.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Robert Towne](https://film.one/media/person/59490/gallery-66a1ac4e92dd.jpg) Robert Towne — Image via TMDB
- ![Robert Towne](https://film.one/media/person/59490/gallery-8c21c4510688.jpg) Robert Towne — Image via TMDB
- ![Robert Towne](https://film.one/media/person/59490/gallery-73110fb53378.jpg) Robert Towne — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won, 3 nominated

- 1985: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes*
- 1976: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated), for *Shampoo*
- 1975: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (won), for *Chinatown*
- 1974: Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated), for *The Last Detail*

### Other awards — 1 won

- Edgar Awards 1975: Edgar Awards (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/robert-towne