Oscar winner and Chinatown screenwriter Robert Towne has died

The famous American screenwriter Robert Towne has died at the age of 89. The most prominent projects created by the Oscar winner were the films Chinatown, Shampoo, and The Last Detail.

The star passed away at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family, the New York Post reports. During the 1960s and 1970s, the screenwriter reached a level of fame that most celebrities achieve throughout their careers.

Robert Towne was born on November 23, 1934. He began his career by creating the television shows The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and The Lloyd Bridges Show. After writing the screenplay for the popular movie Bonnie and Clyde, he became one of the most sought-after screenwriters in Hollywood.

"His life, like the characters he created, was insightful, iconoclastic, and completely original," actor Lee Grant described the screenwriter.

The thriller Chinatown, for which he won an Oscar, brought him the greatest fame.

"Robert Towne once said that Chinatown is a state of mind. Not just a place on a map in Los Angeles but a state of full consciousness that is almost indistinguishable from blindness. To dream that you're in paradise and wake up in the dark is Chinatown. To think you've figured it all out and realize you're dead is Chinatown," said writer Sam Wasson about the screenwriter's attitude to his film.

Robert Towne's last film was the romantic drama Ask the Dust, which he created based on John Fonte's novel about Los Angeles.

The screenwriter was married several times. His second wife, with whom he lived until the end of his life, was Luisa Gaule. Robert Towne is survived by two children.

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