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Robert Benton Biography

Birth Name:Robert Douglas Benton

Birth Place:Waxahachie, Texas, United States

Profession Writer, Director, Producer

Fast Facts

For his 1979 film, "Kramer vs․ Kramer," he won the 1980 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
Esquire magazine hired him in 1956, and while he moved up to become the magazine's art director in the early 1960s, he also met his screenwriting partner, David Newman
Quote: "I'm trying to figure out how you work in the second and third person in film․ I'm curious how to do different voices in terms of the camera․ I don't think we've begun to deal with that yet․"
Many of his films feature talented casts, economic writing and explore themes such as small town love and the small, but poignant moments of daily life
Partnered with David Newman to write several successful films, including "Bonnie and Clyde" in 1967 and "What's up Doc?" in 1972
Doesn't like watching his own films once they are finished
His family was once noble, but it was stripped of its title by the Normans after the Norman Conquest of 1066

Awards

1967NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1968Oscar-Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
1968Golden Globe-Best Screenplay: nominated
1968NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1968WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Original Screenplay: winner
1968WGA Award (Screen)-Best Written American Drama: winner
1973WGA Award (Screen)-Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
1973WGA Award (Screen)-Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen: winner
1977Golden Berlin Bear-Best Film: nominated
1978Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
1978Edgar-Best Motion Picture: winner
1978WGA Award (Screen)-Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
1979Hugo-Best Dramatic Presentation: winner
1979KCFCC Award-Best Director: winner
1979LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1979LAFCA Award-Best Director: winner
1979NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
1979WGA Award (Screen)-Best Comedy Adapted from Another Medium: nominated
1980Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: winner
1980Oscar-Best Director: winner
1980DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: winner
1980Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
1980Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: winner
1980Hochi Film Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
1980Korean Association of Film Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1980NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1980NSFC Award-Best Director: winner
1980WGA Award (Screen)-Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium: winner
1981BAFTA Film Award-Best Direction: nominated
1981BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1981Blue Ribbon Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
1981César-Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger): nominated
1981Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
1981Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
1983Edgar-Best Motion Picture: nominated
1984NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1984People's Choice Award-: winner
1985Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: winner
1985Oscar-Best Director: nominated
1985Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
1985Silver Berlin Bear-Best Director: winner
1985OCIC Award-Competition: winner
1985DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
1985Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
1985WGA Award (Screen)-Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
1995Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published: nominated
1995Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
1995Humanitas Prize-Feature Film Category: nominated
1995USC Scripter Award-: nominated
2006Edgar-Best Motion Picture Screenplay: nominated
2015Felix-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated