Robert Benton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert Douglas Benton (1932-09-29)September 29, 1932 (age 92) Waxahachie, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, screenwriter, producer |
| Years active | 1967–2007 |
| Spouse | |
Robert Douglas Benton (born September 29, 1932) is an American film director and screenwriter. He wrote his first screenplay withDavid Newman for the 1967 filmBonnie and Clyde, receiving anAcademy Award nomination for their work. In 1979, he wrote and directed the filmKramer vs. Kramer, winning theAcademy Award for Best Director and theAcademy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He later won a third Academy Award forBest Original Screenplay for the filmPlaces in the Heart (1984).
Benton was born inWaxahachie, Texas, the son of Dorothy (née Spaulding) and Ellery Douglass Benton, a telephone company employee.[1] He attended theUniversity of Texas andColumbia University.[1]
In 1959, he co-wrote the bookThe IN and OUT Book withHarvey Schmidt, published by The Viking Press. He was the art director atEsquire in the early 1960s.[2]
Benton won theAcademy Awards forBest Adapted Screenplay andBest Director forKramer vs. Kramer (1979) andBest Original Screenplay forPlaces in the Heart (1984).
Benton garnered three additional Oscar nominations: two for Best Original Screenplay forBonnie and Clyde (1967) andThe Late Show (1977), and one for Best Adapted Screenplay forNobody's Fool (1994).
He also directedTwilight (1998) andFeast of Love (2007), and co-wrote the screenplays forSuperman (1978) andThe Ice Harvest (2005).
In 2006, he appeared in the documentary filmWanderlust.
He married artist Sallie Rendig in 1964.[3][4]
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Executive Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Bonnie and Clyde | No | Yes | No |
| 1970 | There Was a Crooked Man... | No | Yes | No |
| 1972 | What's Up, Doc? | No | Yes | No |
| Bad Company | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 1977 | The Late Show | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1978 | Superman | No | Yes | No |
| 1979 | Kramer vs. Kramer | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1982 | Still of the Night | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1984 | Places in the Heart | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1987 | Nadine | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1988 | The House on Carroll Street | No | No | Yes |
| 1991 | Billy Bathgate | Yes | No | No |
| 1994 | Nobody's Fool | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1998 | Twilight | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2003 | The Human Stain | Yes | No | No |
| 2005 | The Ice Harvest | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2007 | Feast of Love | Yes | No | No |
Producer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman | Libretto; adaptation in television film (1975) |
| 1969 | Oh! Calcutta! | Contribution in libretto; adaptation in theatrical film (1972) |
Academy Awards
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Best Original Screenplay | Bonnie and Clyde | Nominated |
| 1978 | The Late Show | Nominated | |
| 1980 | Best Director | Kramer vs. Kramer | Won |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Won | ||
| 1985 | Best Director | Places in the Heart | Nominated |
| Best Original Screenplay | Won | ||
| 1995 | Best Adapted Screenplay | Nobody's Fool | Nominated |
BAFTA Awards
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Best Direction | Kramer vs. Kramer | Nominated |
Golden Globe Awards
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Best Screenplay | Bonnie and Clyde | Nominated |
| 1980 | Best Director | Kramer vs. Kramer | Nominated |
| Best Screenplay | Won | ||
| 1985 | Places in the Heart | Nominated |
Directors Guild of America
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Outstanding Directing | Kramer vs. Kramer | Won |
| 1985 | Places in the Heart | Nominated |
Berlin International Film Festival
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Golden Bear | The Late Show | Nominated |
| 1985 | Silver Bear for Best Director[6] | Places in the Heart | Won |
Other awards
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Edgar Awards | Best Motion Picture Screenplay | The Late Show | Won |
| 1981 | César Awards | Best Foreign Film | Kramer vs. Kramer | Nominated |
| 1984 | Toronto International Film Festival | People's Choice Award | Won | |
| 2007 | Writers Guild of America | Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement[7] | Won | |
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