Robert Towne died, a Hollywood writer whose script for Chinatown is often called the best story ever, has died at the age of 89. A spokeswoman for the actor told AFP that he died at home in Los Angeles. The actor won an Oscar for his work in The Last Detail, Shampoo, and the first two Mission Impossible movies.
Robert Towne died
The first one came early in Towne‘s work, when he was just starting out as a freelance writer for low-budget Hollywood movies in the 1960s. Some people called Towne a “creative consultant.” Tobey Towne was thanked on stage at the Oscars for The Godfather while Francis Ford Coppola took the award for best screenplay. Coppola gave “credit where it is due” with “the very beautiful scene between Marlon [Brando] and Al Pacino in the garden — that was Bob Towne’s scene.”
The first one came early in Towne’s work, when he was just starting out as a freelance writer for low-budget Hollywood movies in the 1960s. Some people called Towne a “creative consultant.” Tobey Towne was thanked on stage at the Oscars for The Godfather while Francis Ford Coppola took the award for best screenplay. Coppola gave “credit where it is due” with “the very beautiful scene between Marlon [Brando] and Al Pacino in the garden — that was Bob Towne’s scene.”
That put Towne on the map in New Hollywood, and he went on to have a lot of success. During the middle of the 1970s, Towne was at the top of his game. He was nominated for three consecutive Oscars for script, and Chinatown won. In the movie, Jack Nicholson plays a private detective in the 1930s whose search for a cheating husband leads him to a world of crime in Los Angeles.
Chinatown writer Robert Towne died, he is taught as a perfect script in film schools because of its complicated plot, dark and funny dialogue, and bold themes, even though director Roman Polanski changed the ending into something much scarier than Towne had planned.
“Legendary screenwriter and filmmaker Robert Towne died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on Monday, July 1 2024,” a statement said. “We will let you know about a celebration of life ceremony at a later time.” The Towne family would like some peace right now.
