Richard Donner

Richard Donner was an American filmmaker and comic book writer, born Richard Donald Schwartzberg on April 24, 1930, in New York City. He died on July 5, 2021. Donner is best known for directing landmark blockbusters of the 1970s and 1980s, including the horror hit *The Omen* (1976), the definitive superhero film *Superman* (1978), the adventure *The Goonies* (1985), the comedy *Scrooged* (1988), and the *Lethal Weapon* series. He began his career directing television episodes in the 1950s and 1960s for shows such as *The Twilight Zone*, *The Fugitive*, and *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.*. His film debut was the low-budget aviation drama *X-15* (1961). With his wife, producer Lauren Shuler Donner, he ran The Donners' Company, which produced the *Free Willy* and *X-Men* film franchises, as well as the television series *Tales from the Crypt*. Donner also co-wrote several Superman comic book stories for DC Comics, including the storyline "Superman: Last Son," collaborating with writer Geoff Johns. He received the President's Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films in 2000. His work on *Superman* helped establish the modern superhero movie genre.