Robert Towne

At a glance

Born 1934-11-23; died 2024-07-01.

Known as: screenwriter, film director, and actor. Citizenship: United States.

Listed as: human.

Who they were

Personal life In 1968, Towne met actress Julie Payne ; they were married from 1977 to 1982. [ 1 ] According to Sam Wasson's The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of Hollywood , Towne was addicted to cocaine during this period and was occasionally violent, which led to a bitter divorce and custody battle over their daughter Katharine (born 1978). In 1984, Towne married Luisa Gaule. They had one daughter, Chiara. [ 2 ]

Robert Towne was an American screenwriter and director. He started writing films for Roger Corman, including The Tomb of Ligeia in 1964, and was later part of the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking.

Early life

Educated at: Pomona College and Chadwick School.

Early life Towne was born Robert Bertram Schwartz in Los Angeles , California , [ 1 ] [ 2 ] the son of Helen and Lou Schwartz, a clothing store owner and property developer who changed the family's name from "Schwartz" to "Towne." Towne grew up in San Pedro and Rolling Hills and attended Chadwick School . [ 3 ] [ 4 ] His family was Jewish, and had emigrated from Romania on his father's side and Russia on his mother's. [ 4 ] He had a younger brother, Roger, [ 1 ]

Path and career

Awards / honours: Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay and Edgar Awards.

Career Roger Corman Towne originally sought work as a writer and actor. He took an acting class with Roger Corman taught by Jeff Corey where his classmates also included Jack Nicholson (with whom he shared an apartment), Irvin Kershner , and Sally Kellerman . [ 1 ] Corman was known for giving work to untested people of talent. Towne wrote the screenplay for the Corman-financed Last Woman on Earth (1960), in which Towne also played one of the lead roles.

Why this date

Robert Towne appears on our July 1 calendar for 2024 as a death entry.