Richard Donner (born Richard Donald Schwartzberg; April 24, 1930 – July 5, 2021) was an American filmmaker. 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 career spanning more than six decades 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.
9
9
5
9
9
6
9
9
7
A man obsessed with conspiracy theories becomes a target after one of his theories turns out to be t...
More info9
9
8
With personal crises and age weighing in on them, LAPD officers Riggs and Murtaugh must contend with...
More info9
9
9
0
0
0
Documentary about the making of The Omen, featuring interviews with Richard Donner, Harvey Bernhard,...
More info0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
3
0
0
4
0
0
5
The filming of "The Omen" (1976) was plagued by tragedy and bizarre incidents. "The devil was at wor...
More info0
0
6
Superman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three K...
More info0
0
7
0
0
8
From superheroes to superstars, Hollywood has always turned to comic books for imagination and inspi...
More info0
0
9
0
1
0
A look at the history of the comic book publication that launched such legendary characters as Super...
More info
A retrospective documentary of the cult classic movie The Goonies. Including interviews with the cas...
More info0
1
1
0
1
2
This essential new documentary pays tribute to the legacy of the late, legendary casting director Ma...
More info0
1
3
A documentary detailing the epic Rogues' Gallery of DC Comics from The Joker and Lex Luthor, Sinestr...
More info
Actors, crew and executives who worked at Warner Bros. Pictures recall their days at the studio....
More info0
1
4
0
1
5
0
1
6
0
1
7
A look at the roller coaster life of Sam J. Jones since his role as Flash Gordon, his struggles and ...
More info0
1
8
0
1
9
0
2
0
0
2
1
0
2
2
0
2
3
0
2
4
Christopher Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles...
More infoRecent movies
| # | Name | Character | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024) | Self (archive footage) | 8.3 | |
| 2 | Life After Flash (2017) | Self | - | - |
| 3 | Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics (2013) | - | 6.5 | |
| 4 | Tales from the Warner Bros. Lot (2013) | Self | - | - |
| 5 | Casting By (2012) | Self | - | - |
| 6 | Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics (2010) | Self (archive footage) | 8.3 | |
| 7 | Making of a Cult Classic: The Unauthorized Story of 'The Goonies' (2010) | Self | - | - |
| 8 | Starz Inside: Comic Books Unbound (2008) | Self - Director, Superman: The Movie | 6 | |
| 9 | Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman (2006) | Self | 9 | |
| 10 | 16 Blocks (2006) | Director / Writer | 6.8 | |
| 11 | Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (2006) | Director / Writer | 7 | |
| 12 | The Curse of 'The Omen' (2005) | Self | - | - |
| 13 | Timeline (2003) | Director / Writer | 6.1 | |
| 14 | Out Cold (2001) | Snooty Bartender (uncredited) | 6.9 | |
| 15 | 666: The Omen Revealed (2000) | - | - | - |
| 16 | Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) | Director / Writer | 6.8 | |
| 17 | Conspiracy Theory (1997) | Director / Writer | 7.1 | |
| 18 | Assassins (1995) | Director / Writer | 6.6 | |
| 19 | Maverick (1994) | Director / Writer | 7.1 | |
| 20 | Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) | Director / Writer | 7 | |
| 21 | Two-Fisted Tales (1992) | Director / Writer | - | - |
| 22 | Radio Flyer (1992) | Director / Writer | 8.3 | |
| 23 | Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) | Director / Writer | 7.4 | |
| 24 | Scrooged (1988) | Director / Writer | 7.5 | |
| 25 | Lethal Weapon (1987) | Director / Writer | 7.7 | |
| 26 | The Goonies (1985) | Director / Writer | 8 | |
| 27 | Ladyhawke (1985) | Director / Writer | 6.9 | |
| 28 | The Toy (1982) | Director / Writer | 5.7 | |
| 29 | Superman II (1980) | Man Walking by Diner (uncredited) | 7 | |
| 30 | Superman (1978) | Director / Writer | 7.4 | |
| 31 | The Omen (1976) | Director / Writer | 7.3 | |
| 32 | Twinky (1970) | Director / Writer | - | - |
| 33 | Salt & Pepper (1968) | Director / Writer | - | - |
| 34 | Lethal Weapon 5 | Director / Writer | - | - |

