Tributes, Flowers Pour Out After Richard Donner's Death

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Fans of veteran director Richard Donner, who directed "Superman," "The Goonies," and all four "Lethal Weapon Films," placed flowers on his Hollywood Walk of Fame star Tuesday in the wake of his passing at age 91.

Donner's death was announced by his family and Warner Bros., which distributed most of his films. A cause of death was not released.

"Rest in peace to legendary Director, Richard Donner," the company said in a statement. "Thank you for helping us all believe a man can fly."

Donner and his wife, producer Lauren Shuler Donner, both received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on October 16, 2008, marking the first time a husband and wife received their stars on the same day. Donner said at the ceremony he was falling in love with the then- Lauren Shuler during the 2 1/2 years it took to get the 1985 medieval dark fantasy film "Ladyhawke" made, "but she was married."

"Lucky for me, she and her husband decided to split," he said at the time. "We've been married 23 years, and it really gets better every day."

Actors, producers and other Hollywood figures shared some of their memories of the beloved director after hearing the news of his death.

"Good bye dear Richard," Antonio Banderas, who starred in the Donner-directed "Assassins" said. "Thanks for your films, for your elegance, your sense of humor, your friendship and for those happy and funny days we spent during the shooting of “Assassins”. We will never forget you amigo."

Good bye dear Richard. Thanks for your films, for your elegance, your sense of humor, your friendship and for those happy and funny days we spent during the shooting of “Assassins”. We will never forget you amigo.

RIP #RichardDonner pic.twitter.com/VumJPZkLe3
— Antonio Banderas (@antoniobanderas) July 6, 2021

Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios and a former intern of Feige, said "Richard Donner not only made me believe a man could fly, he made me believe that comic characters could be brought to life on the big screen with heart, humor, humanity and verisimilitude."

"I owe my career to the way they took the time to nurture and teach a kid from New Jersey who didn't know how to use a fax machine or make coffee very well. I always thought Dick was immortal. I still do."

Richard Donner, the director behind 1978's Superman, The Omen, The Goonies, Lethal Weapon, and much more, passed away on July 5, 2021 at the age of 91. MCU head and Donner's former intern Kevin Feige also commemorated the icon. https://t.co/z4cirjaSoJ pic.twitter.com/JXDv7rL8X1
— IGN (@IGN) July" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/IGN/status... 6, 2021

Steven Spielberg, who was among the executive producers of "The Goonies" and received a "story by" credit for the adventure comedy, said "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 forever."

Born Richard Donald Schwartzberg on April 24, 1930, in the New York City borough of The Bronx, Donner initially pursued an acting career. He was cast in a bit part in a television show directed by Martin Ritt, who encouraged Donner to become a director instead and hired him as his assistant.

After moving to Los Angeles, Donner won the assignment of directing his friend Steve McQueen in episodes of the CBS western "Wanted: Dead or Alive."

Donner later directed episodes of "The Twilight Zone," including "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," which starred William Shatner as a recently released sanitarium patient who claimed to see a gremlin on the wing of the airplane he was in, "The Fugitive," "Perry Mason," "Get Smart" and "Gilligan's Island."

Donner made his film-directing debut with "X-15," a 1961 fictionalized account of the hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft and its pilots, with a cast including Charles Bronson and Mary Tyler Moore.

Donner's next film was the 1968 comedy "Salt and Pepper" which starred Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Lawford.

Donner's first successful major feature film, the horror film "The Omen," was released in 1976, two years before "Superman."

City News Service contributed to this report.