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Robert Towne Biography

Birth Name:Robert Bertram Schwartz

Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, United States

Profession Writer, Actor, Script department, Director, Producer, Assistant director

Fast Facts

Won a Laurel Award for Screen Writing Achievement from the Writers Guild of America in 1997
Graduated from Pomona College in Claremont, Calif
Got his start as an actor and writer working under the exploitation film director and producer Roger Corman
Earned a reputation as one of the best script doctors in Hollywood, contributing important scenes to "Bonnie and Clyde," "The Godfather" and others
Usually ends his films with upbeat denouements, even if they go against his source material, but his successful "Chinatown" is a notable exception to his rule
Claims that he only wrote "Days of Thunder" to pay the bills
After becoming frustrated with the script for "Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes," he gave his dog, P․H․ Vazak, credit for writing the screenplay, making Vazak the first dog to be nominated for an Oscar for screenwriting

1974Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
1974NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1974WGA Award (Screen)-Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium: nominated
1975Oscar-Best Writing, Original Screenplay: winner
1975BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1975Edgar-Best Motion Picture: winner
1975Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: winner
1975NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1975NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1975WGA Award (Screen)-Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen: winner
1976Oscar-Best Writing, Original Screenplay: nominated
1976WGA Award (Screen)-Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen: winner
1985Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
1985WGA Award (Screen)-Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
1996Stinker Award-Worst Screenplay for a Film Grossing More than $100 Million Using Hollywood Math: nominated
1997Razzie Award-Worst Written Film Grossing Over $100 Million: nominated
2006Golden St. George-: nominated
2016WGA Award (TV)-Drama Series: winner