Hollywood mourns Oscar-winning screenwriter Robert Towne

Sad news from across the ocean: Robert Towne has passed away at the age of 89. He was a director, a master of the art of screenwriting, and an Oscar laureate for the best original screenplay for the film "Chinatown" (directed by Roman Polański). He was also nominated for the films "Shampoo" and "The Last Detail."

The information about the esteemed creator's death was conveyed by spokeswoman Carrie McClure, who declined to comment on the cause of death. She did inform that Towne passed away on Monday, 1 July, in his home in Los Angeles. In his final moments, he was accompanied by his loved ones.

Towne began his career in the 1960s. He worked in television, including low-budget productions, but did not have to wait long for true success. In the 1970s, three of the hits mentioned premiered: "Chinatown," "Shampoo," and "The Last Detail."

There were instances when Towne worked on cult productions but was ultimately not credited in the final titles. He co-wrote, among other things, the screenplay for the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. Warren Beatty hired him then as a "special consultant."

The list of cult productions that Towne worked on is much longer. Francis Ford Coppola, director of "The Godfather," thanked the creator during his Oscar acceptance for creating one of the key scenes of the film. Towne was also among the authors of the film "Mission: Impossible."

Towne created for the biggest movie stars and—as emphasised by the Associated Press—for a time enjoyed a prestige comparable to that of the actors and directors he worked with.

He tried to bring his personal vision of Los Angeles to the screen - the city in which he was born. According to hollywoodreporter.com, his portrayals of Los Angeles "etched with melancholy and painted the city as one of beauty and sadness."

The outstanding screenwriter had two daughters: Katherine from his marriage to Julie Payne and Chiara from his second marriage to Luisa Gaule.