Summary
Acclaimed screenwriterRobert Townehas died. Towne is best known for writing the screenplay for 1974’sChinatown, which was nominated for multiple Oscars including Best Original Screenplay, which it won in 1975. Best Original Screenplay was the only Academy AwardChinatownwon, though its other nominations included major awards such as Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director. Half a century later,Chinatownhas stood the test of time, and Towne’s script is widely regarded as one of the greatest screenplays ever written.
PerThe Hollywood Reporter,Towne has passed away.He was 89 years old. The news was announced by Towne’s publicist, Carri McClure, who said that the screenwriter passed away in his home in Los Angeles on Monday, July 1. The exact cause of death was not yet revealed.
Celebrating Robert Towne’s Fantastic Career
Born on July 10, 2025, Towne began his screenwriting career in his 20s.His first formal credit is for the horror mystery filmLast Woman on Earthin 1960, which was directed by B-movie extraordinaire Roger Corman. From there, Towne went on to write for a series of television shows, includingThe Lloyd Bridges Show,Breaking Point,The Outer Limits, andThe Man from U.N.C.L.E. His first breakout film came in 1967, when he assisted with the screenplay for the beloved 1967 filmBonnie and Clyde.
It wasn’t until the'70s when Towne’s career started heating upin terms of acclaim and prominence. In 1974, he received his first Oscar nomination for the filmThe Last Detail. From that point on, he went on a series of being nominated for his screenplays in three consecutive years, the second being his 1975 nomination (and win) forChinatown, and the third being forShampooin 1976. Nearly a decade later, he was nominated for a final Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay forGreystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.
Chinatown Ending Explained
Frequently recognized as one of the greatest movies of all time, 1974’s Chinatown is particularly remembered for its dour and heartbreaking ending.
Even after those Oscar-nominated days, Towne had some additional major credits to his name. In 1988, he scriptedTequila Sunrise, which he also directed. Breaking into blockbuster films, Towne also penned thescreenplay for bothMission: ImpossibleandMission: Impossible II.After the 2000s, Towne’s career largely slowed down as he entered his twilight years, though he was reportedly involved in some upcoming projects. Upon his passing,Townewill be remembered for the stellar scripts that characterized his career, especially with his work on thestill-belovedChinatown.
Chinatown
Cast
Chinatown is a 1974 neo-noir film featuring Jack Nicholson as private investigator Jake Gittes. Tasked with investigating an alleged extramarital affair in pre-World War II Southern California, Gittes is drawn into a complex web of duplicity, unraveling a series of intertwined personal and political scandals.
