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Robert Towne (I)

Writer, director, producer, actor. Born in Los Angeles, California, USA, and raised in the seaport town of San Pedro. Got his start acting and writing for legendary exploitation director/producer Roger Corman. Came into his own during the 1970s when he was regarded as one of the finest screenwriters in Hollywood. Began directing with mixed success... See full bio »
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Won 1 Oscar. Another 11 wins & 9 nominations. See more awards »

Known For

Chinatown
Chinatown Writer
(1974)
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible Writer
(1996)
Tequila Sunrise
Tequila Sunrise Writer
(1988)
The Last Detail
The Last Detail Writer
(1973)
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Filmography

Hide Hide Show Show Writer (35 credits)
  Welcome to the Basement (TV Series) (1 episode, 2013) (screenplay - 1 episode, 2017)
- Shampoo (2017) ... (screenplay)
- Tough Guys Don't Dance (2013)
 2006 Ask the Dust (screenplay)
 2000 Mission: Impossible II (screenplay)
 1998 Without Limits (written by)
 1996 Mission: Impossible (screenplay)
 1994 Love Affair (screenplay)
 1993 The Firm (screenplay)
 1990 The Two Jakes (characters) / (written by)
 1990 Days of Thunder (screenplay) / (story)
 1988 Tequila Sunrise (written by)
 1988 Frantic (uncredited)
 1987 Tough Guys Don't Dance (uncredited)
 1986 8 Million Ways to Die (uncredited)
 1983 Deal of the Century (uncredited)
 1982 Personal Best (written by)
 1978 Heaven Can Wait (uncredited)
 1977 Orca (uncredited)
 1976 The Missouri Breaks (uncredited)
 1975 Shampoo (written by)
 1974 The Yakuza (screenplay)
 1974 Chinatown (written by)
 1974 The Parallax View (uncredited)
 1973 The Last Detail (screenplay)
 1972 The New Centurions (uncredited)
 1972 Cisco Pike (uncredited)
 1971/I Drive, He Said (uncredited)
 1968 Villa Rides (screenplay)
 1967 Bonnie and Clyde (uncredited)
 1964 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) (written by - 1 episode)
- The Dove Affair (1964) ... (written by)
 1964 The Tomb of Ligeia (screenplay)
  The Outer Limits (TV Series) (story by - 1 episode, 1964) (teleplay by - 1 episode, 1964)
- The Chameleon (1964) ... (story by) / (teleplay by)
 1964 Breaking Point (TV Series) (teleplay - 1 episode)
- So Many Pretty Girls, So Little Time (1964) ... (teleplay)
  The Lloyd Bridges Show (TV Series) (written by - 3 episodes, 1963) (teleplay - 1 episode, 1963)
- The Epidemic (1963) ... (written by)
- The Last Lion (1963) ... (written by)
- A Personal Matter (1963) ... (teleplay)
- My Daddy Can Lick Your Daddy (1963) ... (written by)
 1960 Last Woman on Earth (screenplay)
Show Show Producer (3 credits)
Show Show Actor (7 credits)
Show Show Director (4 credits)
Show Show Miscellaneous Crew (4 credits)
Show Show Thanks (5 credits)
Show Show Self (29 credits)
Show Show Archive footage (1 credit)
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Personal Details

Publicity Listings:

1 Biographical Movie | 3 Articles | See more »

Alternate Names:

Robert Tubin | P.H. Vazak | Edward Wain
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

"There are the big tent-pole movies and the struggling independents. All these movies that we've spoken about, like Chinatown (1974) and The Last Detail (1973), would probably be independent movies today, and would not be financed in the normal course of things. And that's unhealthy. The amount of ancillary effort unrelated to what goes up on-screen by filmmakers, all of us, having to beg, borrow... See more »

Trivia:

According to George Stevens, Jr.'s book "Conversations at the American Film Institute," Towne did an uncredited rewrite for The Godfather (1972) which ended up being the "Have you taken care of everything?" scene between Al Pacino and Marlon Brando's characters Michael and Vito Corleone. See more »

Trademark:

Reputation as Script Doctor Extraordinaire

Star Sign:

Sagittarius
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