Richard Donner
- Known for
- Directing
- Born
- April 24, 1930
- Died
- July 5, 2021
- Birthplace
- Bronx, New York, USA
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.
Filmography
- Lethal Weapon 5
Lethal Weapon 5 TBA
Screenplay
- Superhero Nation
Superhero Nation TBA
as Self
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story 2024
as Self (archive footage)
Frank Miller: American Genius 2024
as Self
Valerie 2019
as Self
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film 2019
as Self
Davi's Way 2018
as Self
Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies 2017
as Self
Life After Flash 2017
as Self
Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond 2016
as Self
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire 2014
as Self - Filmmaker
Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics 2013
Actor
Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot 2013
as Self
Casting By 2012
as Self
Maximum Impact: The Legacy of 'Lethal Weapon' 2012
as Self
Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics 2010
as Self (archive footage)
Making of a Cult Classic: The Unauthorized Story of 'The Goonies' 2010
as Self
X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2009
Executive Producer
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos 2009
as Self
Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound 2008
as Self - Director, Superman: The Movie
- Superman II: Restoring the Vision
Superman II: Restoring the Vision 2006
as Self
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman 2006
as Self
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut 2006
as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited), Director
Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman 2006
as Self
16 Blocks 2006
as Man Holding a Birthday Cake (uncredited), Director
The Curse of 'The Omen' 2005
as Self
Timeline 2003
as Man in Car (uncredited), Producer, Director
Ritual 2002
Producer
Out Cold 2001
as Snooty Bartender (uncredited)
The Omen Legacy 2001
as Self
Making 'Superman': Filming the Legend 2001
as Self
Taking Flight: The Development of 'Superman' 2001
as Self
666: The Omen Revealed 2000
Actor
X-Men 2000
Executive Producer
Any Given Sunday 1999
Executive Producer
Tales from the Crypt: The Robert Zemeckis Collection 1999
Producer
Made Men 1999
Producer
Lethal Weapon 4 1998
Director, Producer
Double Tap 1997
Producer
Conspiracy Theory 1997
as Cab Passenger (uncredited), Director, Producer
Free Willy 3: The Rescue 1997
Executive Producer
Bordello of Blood 1996
Executive Producer
Film Music Masters: Jerry Goldsmith 1995
Actor
Assassins 1995
Director, Producer
W.E.I.R.D. World 1995
Executive Producer
The Omen 1995
Executive Producer
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home 1995
Executive Producer
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight 1995
Executive Producer
Maverick 1994
as Dealer (uncredited), Producer, Director
Free Willy 1993
Executive Producer
Lethal Weapon 3 1992
Producer, Director
Radio Flyer 1992
Director
Two-Fisted Tales 1992
Director, Executive Producer
Delirious 1991
Executive Producer
First Works 1989
as Self
Lethal Weapon 2 1989
Producer, Director
Mel Gibson's Unauthorized Video Diary 1989
as Self
Scrooged 1988
Producer, Director
The Lost Boys 1987
Executive Producer
Lethal Weapon 1987
Director, Producer
- The Ultimate Stuntman: A Tribute to Dar Robinson
The Ultimate Stuntman: A Tribute to Dar Robinson 1987
as Himself
Scream Greats, Vol.2: Satanism and Witchcraft 1986
as Himself
The Goonies 1985
as Policeman (uncredited), Producer, Director
The Making Of The Goonies 1985
as Self
Ladyhawke 1985
Producer, Director
The Toy 1982
Director
The Making of 'Superman: The Movie' 1982
as Self
The Final Conflict 1981
Executive Producer
Inside Moves 1980
as Man who closes the ambulance doors (uncredited), Director
Superman II 1980
as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)
Superman 1978
as Man in Street (extended version) (uncredited), Director
The Omen 1976
Director
Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic 1975
Director
A Shadow in the Streets 1975
Director
Lucas Tanner 1974
Director
Senior Year 1974
Director
Nightside 1973
Director
Sam Cade 1972
Director
The Marshal of Madrid 1972
Director
Twinky 1970
Director
Salt & Pepper 1968
Director
Philbert (Three's a Crowd) 1963
Director
X-15 1961
Director
Credits from TMDB.