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Richard Donner

Richard Donner

Known For Directing
Birthday Apr 24, 1930
Died Jul 05, 2021 (91)
Birthplace Bronx, New York, USA
Popularity 0.6 (history)
Updated Jul 18, 2025 (Update)
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

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.

Known For

Headshots

Profile
Profile
Profile
Profile
Filmography

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

2006

as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)

16 Blocks

16 Blocks

2006

as Man Holding a Birthday Cake (uncredited)

Timeline

Timeline

2003

as Man in Car (uncredited)

Out Cold

Out Cold

2001

as Snooty Bartender (uncredited)

Conspiracy Theory

Conspiracy Theory

1997

as Cab Passenger (uncredited)

Maverick

Maverick

1994

as Dealer (uncredited)

The Goonies

The Goonies

1985

as Policeman (uncredited)

Superman II

Superman II

1980

as Man Walking by Diner (uncredited)

Inside Moves

Inside Moves

1980

as Man who closes the ambulance doors (uncredited)

Superman

Superman

1978

as Man in Street (extended version) (uncredited)

Superman II

Superman II

1980

Director of Photography

16 Blocks

16 Blocks

2006

Director

Timeline

Timeline

2003

Director

Lethal Weapon 4

Lethal Weapon 4

1998

Director

Conspiracy Theory

Conspiracy Theory

1997

Director

Assassins

Assassins

1995

Director

Maverick

Maverick

1994

Director

Two-Fisted Tales

Two-Fisted Tales

1992

Director

Lethal Weapon 3

Lethal Weapon 3

1992

Director

Radio Flyer

Radio Flyer

1992

Director

Lethal Weapon 2

Lethal Weapon 2

1989

Director

Scrooged

Scrooged

1988

Director

Lethal Weapon

Lethal Weapon

1987

Director

Ladyhawke

Ladyhawke

1985

Director

The Goonies

The Goonies

1985

Director

The Toy

The Toy

1982

Director

Inside Moves

Inside Moves

1980

Director

Superman

Superman

1978

Director

The Omen

The Omen

1976

Director

Shadow in the Street

Shadow in the Street

1975

Director

Lucas Tanner

Lucas Tanner

1974

Director

Senior Year

Senior Year

1974

Director

Nightside

Nightside

1973

Director

The Marshal of Madrid

The Marshal of Madrid

1972

Director

Twinky

Twinky

1970

Director

Salt & Pepper

Salt & Pepper

1968

Director

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

2009

Executive Producer

Timeline

Timeline

2003

Producer

Ritual

Ritual

2002

Producer

X-Men

X-Men

2000

Executive Producer

Made Men

Made Men

1999

Producer

Any Given Sunday

Any Given Sunday

1999

Executive Producer

Lethal Weapon 4

Lethal Weapon 4

1998

Producer

Double Tap

Double Tap

1997

Producer

Conspiracy Theory

Conspiracy Theory

1997

Producer

Free Willy 3: The Rescue

Free Willy 3: The Rescue

1997

Executive Producer

Bordello of Blood

Bordello of Blood

1996

Executive Producer

The Omen

The Omen

1995

Executive Producer

W.E.I.R.D. World

W.E.I.R.D. World

1995

Executive Producer

Assassins

Assassins

1995

Producer

Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home

Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home

1995

Executive Producer

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight

Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight

1995

Executive Producer

Maverick

Maverick

1994

Producer

Free Willy

Free Willy

1993

Executive Producer

Two-Fisted Tales

Two-Fisted Tales

1992

Executive Producer

Lethal Weapon 3

Lethal Weapon 3

1992

Producer

Delirious

Delirious

1991

Executive Producer

Lethal Weapon 2

Lethal Weapon 2

1989

Producer

Scrooged

Scrooged

1988

Producer

Lethal Weapon

Lethal Weapon

1987

Producer

The Lost Boys

The Lost Boys

1987

Executive Producer

Ladyhawke

Ladyhawke

1985

Producer

The Goonies

The Goonies

1985

Producer

The Final Conflict

The Final Conflict

1981

Executive Producer

Organization Category Movie
BAFTA Awards Best Director Superman Nominated
Television Credits

Tales from the Crypt

as Man at Bar (uncredited)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 10, 1989

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

as Inebriate

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 22, 1964

Lassie

as Clay Braddock

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 12, 1954

Sam Benedict

as Grover Stann

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 15, 1962

HBO First Look

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Jun 12, 1992

E! True Hollywood Story

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Aug 21, 1996

Eli Roth's History of Horror

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 14, 2018

Reunited Apart

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 27, 2020

Cursed Films

as Self - Director, The Omen

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 02, 2020

HBO First Look

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 12, 1992

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 11 17 8
2024 7 21 39 6
2024 8 13 25 6
2024 9 13 28 4
2024 10 7 11 3
2024 11 6 10 2
2024 12 11 20 4
2025 1 14 31 3
2025 2 4 9 1
2025 3 7 12 1
2025 4 0 1 0
2025 5 3 4 1
2025 6 2 3 1
2025 7 1 2 0
2025 8 1 4 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
2024 6 478 319
2025 2 870 839
2025 7 114 86

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