'Chinatown' Screenwriter Robert Towne Dead at 89

Robert Towne, a super-famous screenwriter who won an Oscar for his publication for "Chinatown," is dead.

Robert died Monday astatine his L.A. home, according to a connection Tuesday from his publicist, Carrie McClure. The origin of decease was not revealed.

In summation to winning an Academy Award for 1974's classical movie "Chinatown," Robert besides wrote 2 different large movies successful the 70s ... "The Last Detail" and "Shampoo."

Robert is besides known for penning the 1988 movie "Tequila Sunrise" ... which starred Mel Gibson and Michelle Pfeiffer.

A respected fig successful Hollywood, Robert was 1 of the astir in-demand screenwriters of each clip ... often being brought successful to doc scripts -- fixing them up.

A mates celebrated examples ... Warren Beatty ran to Robert for assistance connected 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde" and Robert cooked up the Marlon Brando plot country successful 1972's "The Godfather," adjacent getting a shoutout successful Francis Ford Coppola's acceptance code astatine the Oscars.

The past clip we got Robert retired was mode backmost successful 2009, erstwhile helium talked to 1 of our photogs astir his "Chinatown" publication and dished connected moving with Roman Polanski and Tom Cruise.

Robert wrote 2 movies starring Tom successful the 1990s ... "Days of Thunder" and "The Firm" ... and he's got credits connected the archetypal 2 'Mission: Impossible' enactment flicks.

RT was 89.

RIP