Line #19 Creator/RobertTowne


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rtowne300x300.jpg]]
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3	Robert Towne (born Robert Bertram Schwartz; November 23, 1934 in Los Angeles, California) is an American screenwriter, film director, and occasional actor.
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5	Towne started out working for Creator/RogerCorman, and became friends with Creator/JackNicholson as well. He became a screenwriter in the 1960s for Corman, and later became known for being a script doctor on such films as ''Film/BonnieAndClyde'' and ''Film/TheGodfather'' (notably the scene where Vito tells Michael he never wanted Michael to have his life). Towne broke through to regular screenwriting with ''Film/TheLastDetail'', and later won an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for his script for ''Film/{{Chinatown}}''. In the 1980s, he became a director as well, making his debut with ''Personal Best'', though after the failure of ''Ask the Dust'', his fourth film as director, in 2006, he hasn't directed a film since. He also became a producer on ''Series/MadMen'' in its final season.
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8	!!Works by Robert Towne with their own pages include:
9	* "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1963S1E31TheChameleon The Chameleon]]", an episode of ''Series/TheOuterLimits1963''
10	* ''Film/BonnieAndClyde'' (uncredited)
11	* ''Film/DriveHeSaid''
12	* ''Film/TheGodfather'' (uncredited)
13	* ''Film/TheLastDetail''
14	* ''Film/{{Chinatown}}''
15	* ''Film/TheParallaxView'' (uncredited)
16	* ''Film/TheYakuza'' (which he shared credit with Creator/PaulSchrader)
17	* ''Film/{{Shampoo}}'' (which he co-wrote with Creator/WarrenBeatty)
18	* ''Film/MarathonMan'' (uncredited)
19	* ''Film/{{Reds}}'' (uncredited)
20	* ''Film/GreystokeTheLegendOfTarzanLordOfTheApes'' (Towne took his name off the film, and credited it to his dog, P.H. Zavak)
21	* ''Film/{{Frantic}}'' (uncredited)
22	* ''Film/TequilaSunrise'' (which he also directed)
23	* ''Film/DaysOfThunder''
24	* ''Film/TheFirm'' (which he shared credit with David Rabe and David Rayfiel)
25	* ''Film/LoveAffair'' (remake of the 1939 film)
26	* ''Film/MissionImpossible''
27	* ''Film/MissionImpossibleII''
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29	!!Tropes:
30	* ExecutiveMeddling:
31	** Creator/ColumbiaPictures refused to approve ''The Last Detail'' at first, being nervous about the amount of swearing in the picture, until Creator/JackNicholson signed on. They also didn't like Creator/HalAshby, who they saw as someone they couldn't control.
32	** Originally, Towne was supposed to direct ''Film/GreystokeTheLegendOfTarzanLordOfTheApes'', but when ''Personal Best'', his directorial debut, went over budget, he was forced to give up directing it, and when the new director insisted on changes, Towne took his name off the film, and put his dog's name (P.H. Zavak) on it.
33	* HeAlsoDid: Did some uncredited story work on ''WesternAnimation/AllDogsGoToHeaven''.
34	* ProductionPosse: Worked with Creator/WarrenBeatty and Creator/JackNicholson several times (though he had a falling out with the latter; see WhatCouldHaveBeen below).
35	* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Originally, Towne had written ''Film/{{Chinatown}}'' with a BittersweetEnding, but Creator/RomanPolanski wanted the DarkerAndEdgier ending, and when Towne, who disagreed, walked off the set, Polanski and Jack Nicholson wrote the ending of the film. Towne later conceded their ending was better.
36	** Towne had conceived of ''Film/{{Chinatown}}'' as being the first of a trilogy of films about Los Angeles and Jake Gittes, and was going to direct the first follow-up, ''The Two Jakes'', but he and Jack Nicholson clashed over using producer Robert Evans as the other Jake, and Nicholson ended up taking over as director, causing enough of a rift in their friendship Towne wrote a couple of speeches in his film ''Film/TequilaSunrise'' alluding to their rift (they have since reconciled).

Context Creator / RobertTowne