Robert Benton

Last updated
Robert Benton
Born
Robert Douglas Benton

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

Robert Douglas Benton (born September 29, 1932) is an American film director and screenwriter. He wrote his first screenplay with David Newman for the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde , receiving an Academy Award nomination for their work. In 1979, he wrote and directed the film Kramer vs. Kramer , winning the Academy Award for Best Director and the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He later won a third Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film Places in the Heart (1984).

Contents

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 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 film Wanderlust .

Personal life

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

Films

YearTitleDirectorWriterExecutive
Producer
1967 Bonnie and Clyde NoYesNo
1970 There Was a Crooked Man... NoYesNo
1972 What's Up, Doc? NoYesNo
Bad Company YesYesNo
1977 The Late Show YesYesNo
1978 Superman NoYesNo
1979 Kramer vs. Kramer YesYesNo
1982 Still of the Night YesYesNo
1984 Places in the Heart YesYesNo
1987 Nadine YesYesNo
1988 The House on Carroll Street NoNoYes
1991 Billy Bathgate YesNoNo
1994 Nobody's Fool YesYesNo
1998 Twilight YesYesNo
2003 The Human Stain YesNoNo
2005 The Ice Harvest NoYesYes
2007 Feast of Love YesNoNo

Producer

Theatre

YearTitleNotes
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)

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

YearCategoryTitleResult
1968 Best Original Screenplay Bonnie and ClydeNominated
1978The Late ShowNominated
1980 Best Director Kramer vs. KramerWon
Best Adapted Screenplay Won
1985Best DirectorPlaces in the HeartNominated
Best Original ScreenplayWon
1995Best Adapted ScreenplayNobody's FoolNominated

BAFTA Awards

YearCategoryTitleResult
1980 Best Direction Kramer vs. KramerNominated

Golden Globe Awards

YearCategoryTitleResult
1968 Best Screenplay Bonnie and ClydeNominated
1980 Best Director Kramer vs. KramerNominated
Best ScreenplayWon
1985Places in the HeartNominated

Directors Guild of America

YearCategoryTitleResult
1980 Outstanding Directing Kramer vs. KramerWon
1985Places in the HeartNominated

Berlin International Film Festival

YearCategoryTitleResult
1977 Golden Bear The Late ShowNominated
1985 Silver Bear for Best Director [6] Places in the HeartWon

Other awards

YearAwardCategoryTitleResult
1978 Edgar Awards Best Motion Picture Screenplay The Late ShowWon
1981 César Awards Best Foreign Film Kramer vs. KramerNominated
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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References

  1. 1 2 "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. Communications, Emmis (December 1967). The Alcalde. Emmis Communications.
  6. "Berlinale: 1985 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
  7. "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