Richard Donner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Donner
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Donner in 1979
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| Born |
Richard Donald Schwartzberg
April 24, 1930 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | July 5, 2021 (aged 91) |
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| Years active | 1957–2012 |
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Notable work
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| Spouse(s) |
Lauren Shuler
(m. 1985) |
Richard Donner was a famous American filmmaker. He was born Richard Donald Schwartzberg on April 24, 1930, and passed away on July 5, 2021. He directed and produced many popular movies and TV shows over his 50-year career.
Donner was known for making exciting action films. He helped create some of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters. His work covered many different types of movies, from horror to superhero adventures.
He started working in television in 1957. He directed episodes for classic shows like The Twilight Zone and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. Later, he moved into making movies.
His big break came with the horror film The Omen in 1976. Then, he directed the very important superhero movie Superman in 1978. This film helped make superhero movies popular and respected.
In the 1980s, Donner directed beloved films like The Goonies and Scrooged. He also brought new life to buddy-cop movies with the Lethal Weapon series.
Richard Donner and his wife, Lauren, owned a production company called The Donners' Company. They helped produce the Free Willy and X-Men movie series. Donner also produced the Tales from the Crypt TV show. He even wrote some comic books for DC Comics, the company that publishes Superman.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Richard Donald Schwartzberg was born in the Bronx, New York City. His parents were from Russia and were Jewish. His father owned a small business making furniture. His mother stayed home to care for the family. Richard also had a sister named Joan.
His grandfather owned a movie theater in Brooklyn. This theater greatly influenced Richard's early ideas about films.
After high school, Donner joined the U.S. Navy. He worked as an aerial photographer, taking pictures from planes. He briefly went to New York University. But he left to try acting. He moved to Los Angeles and changed his name to "Richard Donner."
Directing for Television
Richard Donner first wanted to be an actor. He got a small part in a TV show directed by Martin Ritt. Ritt saw something special in Donner and told him to try directing instead. Ritt then hired Donner as his assistant.
Donner later worked at a company called Desilu. There, he directed commercials. In the late 1950s, he started directing TV dramas. He directed episodes for western shows like Wanted Dead or Alive and The Rifleman.
During his early career, he directed episodes for over 25 different TV series. These included popular shows like The Fugitive, Get Smart, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. He also directed six episodes of The Twilight Zone, including the famous "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" with William Shatner. He even directed parts of the children's show The Banana Splits.
In the 1990s, Donner became an executive producer for the HBO horror series Tales from the Crypt. This show was based on old comic books. He directed three episodes himself and also produced three movies based on the show.
Making Movies
Donner's first full-length movie was X-15 in 1961. It starred Charles Bronson and Mary Tyler Moore. Seven years later, he directed Salt and Pepper (1968).
His big success came with the horror film The Omen in 1976. This scary movie was very popular. It starred Gregory Peck and Lee Remick. It was one of the highest-earning films of that year.
Directing Superman (1978)
In 1978, Donner directed Superman: The Movie. Christopher Reeve played the main role. Donner wanted the movie to feel real, even though it was about a superhero. This idea made the fantasy story believable.
The movie was a huge hit around the world. It made Christopher Reeve an international star. The film also starred Margot Kidder as Lois Lane, Marlon Brando as Jor-El, and Gene Hackman as the villain Lex Luthor. It earned a lot of money at the box office.
Donner also filmed most of Superman II at the same time. He planned to finish the sequel after the first Superman movie came out. However, even though the first film was successful, Donner was fired from Superman II. He had disagreements with the producers.
Another director, Richard Lester, took over Superman II. Many scenes were re-shot. Marlon Brando's scenes were removed from the sequel. Gene Hackman refused to come back for the new filming. So, all of Lex Luthor's scenes in Superman II were actually filmed by Donner.
Years later, in 2006, a special version called Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut was released. This version included Marlon Brando's scenes and used more of Donner's original footage.
After Superman: More Big Hits
After Superman, Donner directed both successful and less successful films. His hits included The Goonies, the Lethal Weapon series, Scrooged, and Conspiracy Theory.
Donner's idea to treat superhero stories seriously, not as a joke, was very important. This approach influenced many later directors. Filmmakers like Tim Burton (Batman), Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight), and Zack Snyder (Man of Steel) followed his lead. They all made very successful superhero movies.
The Lethal Weapon Series
Donner's next huge hit was the action-comedy Lethal Weapon in 1987. It starred Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. The movie's action scenes were amazing. It became one of the biggest films of the year.
Donner directed six films with Mel Gibson in total. He created the Lethal Weapon series, directing three sequels. The last one, Lethal Weapon 4, came out in 1998.
Producing X-Men Films
Donner became an executive producer for the 2000 X-Men movie. He also executive produced the 2009 prequel, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. His wife, Lauren Shuler Donner, produced all the films in the X-Men series through their company.
In 2008, Richard and Lauren Shuler Donner received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This honored their great work in movies.
Movies That Almost Happened
Richard Donner was considered to direct many other famous movies. He was the first choice for the James Bond film Never Say Never Again, but he turned it down. He might have directed Jurassic Park if his studio had won the rights to the story. He was also considered for films like The Lost Boys and The Sandlot.
Before he passed away, Donner had plans to direct a sequel to The Goonies. He also wanted to make a fifth and final Lethal Weapon movie.
Books and Comics
Richard Donner also worked on books and comic books.
Working on Comic Books
In the late 1990s, one of Donner's assistants was a comic book writer named Geoff Johns. In 2006, Donner, Johns, and artist Adam Kubert became the new creative team for Action Comics. This is one of DC Comics' main Superman titles.
Together, Johns and Donner wrote stories like Last Son and Escape from Bizarro World. These stories were later collected into books. Donner and Johns also wrote a story for Action Comics #1000, which came out in 2018.
His Biography
In 2010, an official book about Richard Donner's life was published. It was called You're the Director... You Figure It Out: The Life and Films of Richard Donner. The book was written by James Christie and had a special introduction by actor Mel Gibson.
Personal Life
Richard Donner married film producer Lauren Shuler on November 27, 1985. They combined their production companies that same year to create The Donners' Company. They stayed married until Richard's death.
Donner had a cousin named Steve Kahan. Steve Kahan was an actor who appeared in some of Donner's films. He played a policeman in Superman: The Movie and Captain Ed Murphy in the Lethal Weapon movies. Donner often cast his cousin in his projects.
Richard Donner passed away on July 5, 2021, at his home in West Hollywood, California. He was 91 years old.
Awards and Recognition
Richard Donner received many awards for his work in film and television.
- In 1979, he won a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation for Superman.
- In 2000, he received the President's Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films.
- He also won the Outstanding Achievement in Directing award at the Hollywood Film Awards in 2000.
- In 2006, he received the Nikola Tesla Satellite Award.
- In 2008, the Ojai Film Festival gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award.
- In 2009, he received the Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award from the American Cinema Editors.
Images for kids
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Donner at the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con
