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Robert Benton

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For the set decorator, see Robert R. Benton.
Robert Benton
Born
Robert Douglas Benton

(1932-09-29) September 29, 1932 (age 92)
Waxahachie, Texas, United States
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter, producer
Years active1967–2007
Spouse
Sallie Rendig
​
​
(after 1964)​

Robert Douglas Benton (born September 29, 1932) is a retired American screenwriter and film director. He has won numerous awards for both writing and directing in film.

Early life

Benton was born in Waxahachie, Texas, the son of Dorothy (née Spaulding) and Ellery Douglass Benton, a telephone company employee.[1] He attended the University of Texas and Columbia University.[1]

Career

In 1959, he co-wrote the book The IN and OUT Book with Harvey Schmidt, published by The Viking Press. He was the art director at Esquire in the early 1960s.[2]

Benton won the Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director for Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and Best Original Screenplay for Places in the Heart (1984).

Benton garnered three additional Oscar nominations: two for Best Original Screenplay for both Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and The Late Show (1977) and one for Best Adapted Screenplay for Nobody's Fool (1994).

He also directed Twilight (1998) and Feast of Love (2007), and co-wrote the screenplays for Superman (1978) and The Ice Harvest (2005).

In 2006, he appeared in the documentary Wanderlust.

Personal life

He married artist Sallie Rendig in 1964.[3][4]

Filmography

Directing

Year Film Notes
1972 Bad Company
1977 The Late Show
1979 Kramer vs. Kramer Based on the novel by Avery Corman
1982 Still of the Night
1984 Places in the Heart
1987 Nadine
1991 Billy Bathgate Based on the novel by E. L. Doctorow
1994 Nobody's Fool Based on the novel by Richard Russo
1998 Twilight
2003 The Human Stain Based on the novel by Philip Roth
2007 Feast of Love Based on the novel by Charles Baxter

Writing

Year Film Director
1966 It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman Charles Strouse
1967 Bonnie and Clyde Arthur Penn
1970 There Was a Crooked Man... Joseph L. Mankiewicz
1972 What's Up, Doc? Peter Bogdanovich
Oh! Calcutta!, contribution Jacques Levy
Bad Company Benton
1977 The Late Show Benton
1978 Superman Richard Donner
1979 Kramer vs. Kramer Benton
1982 Still of the Night Benton
1984 Places in the Heart Benton
1987 Nadine Benton
1994 Nobody's Fool Benton
1998 Twilight Benton
2005 The Ice Harvest Harold Ramis

Film awards

Wins

Nominations

  • 1968 - Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay for Bonnie and Clyde
  • 1968 - Golden Globe for Best Screenplay for Bonnie and Clyde
  • 1977 - Golden Bear at Berlin for The Late Show
  • 1978 - Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay for The Late Show
  • 1980 - Golden Globe for Best Director - Motion Picture for Kramer vs. Kramer
  • 1981 - César Award for Best Foreign Film for Kramer vs. Kramer
  • 1985 - Academy Award for Directing for Places in the Heart
  • 1985 - Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures for Places in the Heart
  • 1985 - Golden Globe for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture for Places in the Heart
  • 1995 - Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay for Nobody's Fool

References

  1. ^ a b "Robert Benton". Film Reference.
  2. ^ "Honoree Robert Benton dealt with dyslexia before awards". Sarasota Herald-Tribute.
  3. ^ "Overview for Robert Benton". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  4. ^ "SALLIE BENTON | Official Artist Website". Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  5. ^ "Berlinale: 1985 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
  6. ^ "Acclaimed Screenwriter-Director Robert Benton to Receive Screen Laurel Award at 2007 Writers Guild Awards". Writers Guild of America, West. December 11, 2006. Archived from the original on January 16, 2015. Retrieved 2015-01-16.

Archival sources

  • The Robert Benton Papers 1969-1994 (24 linear feet) are housed at the Wittliff Collections, Texas State University in San Marcos.
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