Mr. Towne’s career began in the 1960s, working for B-movie director Roger Corman as an actor and writer. Over the decades, he became one of Hollywood’s most sought-after script doctors, known for fixing structural issues and creating iconic scenes in films.
Mr. Towne gained recognition in the 1970s with three major hits released within a 14-month span: “The Last Detail” (1973), “Chinatown” (1974), and “Shampoo” (1975). These screenplays earned Oscar nominations, with “Chinatown” securing a win.
In his early career, Warren Beatty hired Mr. Towne as a “special consultant” for the 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde,” where he restructured key scenes to highlight the impending doom of the outlaws. His contributions included transforming a family reunion scene into an emotional high point of the movie.
Although much of Mr. Towne’s script doctoring remained uncredited, his impact was profound. He was notably acknowledged by Francis Ford Coppola during an Oscar acceptance speech for his work on a pivotal scene in “The Godfather” that wasn’t in Mario Puzo’s original book. Mr.Towne wrote the garden scene between Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) and his son Michael (Al Pacino), creating a key moment in the film, where Michael discusses the family business with his father.
Mr. Towne’s work on “Bonnie and Clyde” led to his involvement in “The Last Detail,” where his script depicted sailors with raw authenticity. Despite initial resistance from studio executives, Jack Nicholson championed Towne’s vision, which included a pessimistic twist on the story’s ending.
The screenwriter clashed with Roman Polanski over the ending of “Chinatown.” Mr. Polanski insisted on a darker conclusion, which Mr. Towne initially opposed but later acknowledged as the right choice. The film, written for Jack Nicholson, cemented both their places in cinematic history.
Born Robert Bertram Schwartz on November 23, 1934, Mr. Towne grew up in San Pedro, Los Angeles. His father ran a clothing store and changed the family name to Towne.
Mr. Towne’s directorial debut came with “Personal Best” in 1982, a critically acclaimed but commercially modest film about Olympic hopefuls. Other directorial efforts included “Tequila Sunrise” (1988) and “Without Limits” (1998), which was praised as an underrated gem.
In 2006, Mr. Towne adapted and directed John Fante’s novel “Ask the Dust,” although the film did not perform well at the box office. His attempt to direct a sequel to “Chinatown,” titled “The Two Jakes,” ended with Mr. Nicholson taking over as director.
Mr. Towne co-wrote the screenplay for “The Firm,” featuring Tom Cruise, and also worked with Mr. Cruise on the first two “Mission: Impossible” movies.
“Chinatown” is frequently listed among the greatest films ever made and was preserved by the Library of Congress in 1991. Mr. Towne believed that a good screenplay “reads like it’s describing a movie already made,” and found joy in script doctoring as it allowed him to learn from others.
In 2013, Mr. Towne served as a consulting producer on the final season of AMC’s “Mad Men.” He also collaborated with David Fincher on a “Chinatown” prequel series for Netflix, which was completed shortly before his death.
