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Richard Donner, Director of THE OMEN, SUPERMAN, LETHAL WEAPON, & More, Has Died at 91

Richard Donner Panavision Camera Black And White

Richard Donner Has Died at 91

Director Richard Donner has died at age of 91. During the director 49 year career, Donner directed many notable films: The Omen, Superman, The Goonies, Lethal Weapon, and notable TV shows: The Rifleman, The Twilight Zone, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Gilligan’s Island, Perry Mason, Get Smart, and The Fugitive.

News of his passing was released by his wife, Lauren Schuler Donner, and his business manager. No cause of death has been released.

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Mel Gibson had this to say about Donner’s passing:

“Donner! My friend, my mentor. Oh, the things I learned from him! He undercut his own talent and greatness with a huge chunk of humility referring to himself as ‘merely a traffic cop.’ He left his ego at the door and required that of others. He was magnanimous of heart and soul, which he liberally gave to all who knew him. If we piled up all the good deeds he did, it would stretch to some uncharted place in the firmament. I will sorely miss him, with all his mischievous wit and wisdom.”

Danny Glover had this to say about Donner’s passing:

“My heart is broken. Working with Dick Donner, Mel Gibson and the Lethal Weapon Team was one of the proudest moments of my career. I will forever be grateful to him for that Dick genuinely cared about me, my life and my family. We were friends and loved each other far beyond collaborating for the screen and the success that the Lethal Weapon franchise brought us. I will so greatly miss him.”

Steven Spielberg had this to say about Donner’s passing:

“Dick had such a powerful command of his movies, and was so gifted across so many genres. Being in his circle was akin to hanging out with your favorite coach, smartest professor, fiercest motivator, most endearing friend, staunchest ally, and — of course — the greatest Goonie of all. He was all kid. All heart. All the time. I can’t believe he’s gone, but his husky, hearty, laugh will stay with me always.”

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Rollo Tomasi

Rollo Tomasi is a Connecticut-based film critic, TV show critic, news, and editorial writer. He will have a MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University in 2025. Rollo has written over 700 film, TV show, short film, Blu-ray, and 4K-Ultra reviews. His reviews are published in IMDb's External Reviews and in Google News. Previously you could find his work at Empire Movies, Blogcritics, and AltFilmGuide. Now you can find his work at FilmBook.
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