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Photo of Richard Donner

Richard Donner

Producer, Director, Actor
Born April 24, 1930Died July 5, 2021 (91 years)
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.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Richard Donner, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Movies & Shows on Plex

  • Conspiracy Theory
  • Ladyhawke
  • The Rifleman
  • Wanted: Dead or Alive
  • Inside Moves
  • Route 66
  • London Affair
  • Double Tap
  • W.E.I.R.D. World

Known For

  • The Goonies
  • Lethal Weapon
  • Superman
  • Lethal Weapon 2
  • Lethal Weapon 3
  • Lethal Weapon 4
  • The Omen
  • 16 Blocks
  • Scrooged
  • Maverick
  • Conspiracy Theory
  • X-Men Origins: Wolverine
  • Assassins
  • Timeline
  • Superman II
  • The Lost Boys
  • Ladyhawke
  • Free Willy
  • Tales from the Crypt
  • Any Given Sunday
  • The Toy
  • Radio Flyer
  • The Twilight Zone
  • Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

Richard Donner Filmography

2012
Black & White in Colors · as Associate Producer
2009
X-Men Origins: Wolverine · as Executive Producer
2003
2002
2002
2000
X-Men · as Executive Producer
1999
Any Given Sunday · as Executive Producer
1999
1998
1997
1997
1997
Free Willy 3: The Rescue · as Executive Producer
1997
Perversions of Science (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
1996
Secrets of the Cryptkeeper's Haunted House (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
1996
Bordello of Blood · as Executive Producer
1995
1995
W.E.I.R.D. World · as Executive Producer
1995
The Omen · as Executive Producer
1995
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home · as Executive Producer
1995
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight · as Executive Producer
1994
Free Willy The Animated Series (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
1994
1993
Tales From the Cryptkeeper (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
1993
Free Willy · as Executive Producer
1992
1992
Two-Fisted Tales · as Executive Producer
1991
Delirious · as Executive Producer
1989
1989
Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) · as Executive Producer
1988
1987
The Lost Boys · as Executive Producer
1987
1985
1985
1981
The Final Conflict · as Executive Producer

2006
2006
2003
1998
1997
1995
1994
1994
1992
1992
1992
1989
1989
1988
1987
1985
1985
1982
1980
1980
1978
1976
1975
Bronk (TV Series)
1975
1974
Petrocelli (TV Series)
1974
Lucas Tanner (TV Series)
1974
Sons and Daughters (TV Series)
1973
Kojak (TV Series)
1972
1972
Ghost Story (TV Series)
1972
The Sixth Sense (TV Series)
1972
1971
1971
Cade's County (TV Series)
1971
Cannon (TV Series)
1971
Bearcats (TV Series)
1971
Banyon (TV Series)
1971
Sarge (TV Series)
1970
The Interns (TV Series)
1970
1969
1968
1968
1967
Ironside (TV Series)
1966
Jericho (TV Series)
1966
The Felony Squad (TV Series)
1966
It's About Time (TV Series)
1965
Get Smart (TV Series)
1965
Trials of O'Brien (TV Series)
1965
The Wild Wild West (TV Series)
1965
The F.B.I. (TV Series)
1964
Gilligan's Island (TV Series)
1964
1964
12 O'Clock High (TV Series)
1963
Mr. Novak (TV Series)
1963
The Fugitive (TV Series)
1963
1963
The Lieutenant (TV Series)
1962
The Eleventh Hour (TV Series)
1962
Combat! (TV Series)
1962
1962
Sam Benedict (TV Series)
1961
1960
Route 66 (TV Series)
1960
The Tall Man (TV Series)
1959
1959
The Twilight Zone (TV Series)
1959
1958
1958
1957
Perry Mason (TV Series)
1957
Wagon Train (TV Series)
1957
1956
Zane Grey Theatre (TV Series)
1953

2009
Hollywood's Best Film Directors (TV Series) · as Cast
2006
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut · as Man Walking By Diner (uncredited)
2006
16 Blocks · as Man Holding A Birthday Cake (uncredited)
2003
Timeline · as Man In Car (uncredited)
2001
Out Cold · as Snooty Bartender (uncredited)
2000
1997
Conspiracy Theory · as Cab Passenger (uncredited)
1996
Sex and the Silver Screen (TV Series) · as Quote Reader
1996
1995
1994
Maverick · as Dealer (uncredited)
1989
Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) · as Man At Bar (uncredited)
1985
The Goonies · as Policeman (uncredited)
1980
Inside Moves · as Man Who Closes The Ambulance Doors (uncredited)
1980
Superman II · as Man Walking By Diner (uncredited)
1978
Superman · as Man In Street (extended Version) (uncredited)
1975
Bronk (TV Series) · as African-American Prostitute's John
1964
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) · as Inebriate
1962
The Eleventh Hour (TV Series) · as Arnold Hardy
1962
Sam Benedict (TV Series) · as Grover Stann
1954
Lassie (TV Series) · as Clay Braddock

2024
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story · as Self (archive Footage)
2023
Superpowered: The DC Story (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage)
2023
2022
2022
The Oscars · as Self - Memorial Tribute
2020
Reunited Apart (TV Series) · as Self
2020
Cursed Films (TV Series) · as Self - Director, The Omen
2019
Valerie · as Self
2019
Life After Flash · as Self
2019
2018
2017
2017
Robert Kirkman's Secret History of Comics (TV Series) · as Self - Director, 'superman'
2016
2016
Davi's Way · as Self
2014
2013
2013
2012
Casting By · as Self
2012
2010
Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics · as Self (archive Footage)
2010
2008
2008
Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound · as Self - Director, Superman: The Movie
2006
2006
2006
Who Needs Sleep? · as Self
2005
2004
2004
2001
The Omen Legacy · as Self
2001
Dinner for Five (TV Series) · as Self - Special Guest
2001
2000
1999
Independent Lens (TV Series) · as Self
1998
1997
The Directors (TV Series) · as Self
1992
HBO First Look (TV Series) · as Self
1992
1990
Intimate Portrait (TV Series) · as Self
1989
First Works · as Self
1989
1987
1986
1985
American Masters (TV Series) · as Self
1985
1980
1971
Film (TV Series) · as Self

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