FIlmmaker Richard Donner, known for Superman, Lethal Weapon, The Goonies and much, much more, dies at the age of 91.
CBR.com
By Jon Arvedon
July 5, 2021
Acclaimed filmmaker Richard Donner died on Monday, July 5 at the age of 91.
Donner's passing was confirmed by his wife, Lauren Schuler Donner.
Born in 1930, Donner got his start in television by directing an episode of Zane Grey Theatre in 1960. A year later, he directed his first feature film, X-15, which starred Charles Bronson and Mary Tyler Moore. Following that, he'd return to television to direct episodes of hit shows such as The Twilight Zone, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Gilligan's Island, Perry Mason and more. However, his first major break came in 1976 when he directed The Omen, which was the highest-grossing movie of that year.
Two years later, Donner would go on the helm Superman, starring Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel, Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, Marlon Brando as Jor-El and Margot Kidder as Lois Lane. Principal photography for the first installment also included shots for the sequel, Superman II, but Donner was replaced by Richard Lester, and Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut wouldn't see the light of day until 2006.
Donner found success post-Superman thanks to The Goonies in 1985, and in 1987, he helped launch the Lethal Weapon franchise, with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover starring as buddy cops across four installments. He said as recently as December 2020 that he still planned to direct a fifth Lethal Weapon film, which would've been his final project. "This is the final one. It's both my privilege and duty to put it to bed," he said.
Outside of movies and television, Donner is notable in the world of comic books for his work with Geoff Johns, who served as his assistant in the 1990s. In 2006, Donner and Johns would team up with Adam Kubert as the new creative team for DC's Action Comics, the timing of which coincided with the release of the aforementioned Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut. Donner also contributed a story with Johns for the oversized Action Comics #1000 in 2018.
DONNER, Richard (Richard D. Schwartzberg)
Born: 4/24/1930, New York City, New York, U.S.A.
Died: 7/5/2021, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Ricihard Donner’s westerns – executive producer, producer, director, actor:
Wanted: Dead or Alive (TV) – 1960, 1961 [director]
Zane Grey Theater (TV) – 1960 [director]
Have Gun – Will Travel (TV) – 1961, 1962 [director]
The Tall Man (TV) – 1961 [director]
Wagon Train (TV) – 1961 [director]
The Rifleman (TV) – 1962 [director]
The Travels of Jamies McPheters (TV) – 1964 [director]
The Wild Wild West (TV) – 1966 [director]
Bearcats! (TV) – 1971 [director]
Two-Fisted Tales (TV) – 1992 [executive producer, director]
Maverick (TV) – 1994 (dealer) [producer, director]
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