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Richard Donner

Richard Donner

Director & actor · born 24 April 1930 · Bronx, New York, USA

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.

Where to start: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024).

As director 30

As actor 41

TV shows 22

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Richard Donner movie?

By viewer score, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024) at 8.1/10.

What are Richard Donner’s most popular movies?

The Goonies, The Goonies, Lethal Weapon.

How many movies has Richard Donner made?

71 films on TMDB, 30 as director, 41 as actor.

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