Robert Benton
Updated: 12/10/2025, 11:00:39 AM Wikipedia source
Robert Douglas Benton (September 29, 1932 – May 11, 2025) was an American film director and screenwriter. He, along with his co-writer David Newman, was nominated for the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. In 1979, he wrote and directed the film Kramer vs. Kramer, winning the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. He won another Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the 1984 film Places in the Heart.
Infobox
Born
Robert Douglas Benton(1932-09-29)September 29, 1932Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Died
May 11, 2025(2025-05-11) (aged 92)New York City, U.S.
Occupations
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Years active
1967–2007
Spouse
mw- Sallie Rendig (m. 1964; died 2023)
Children
1
Tables
· Films
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | ExecutiveProducer |
| 1967 | Bonnie and Clyde | No | Yes | No |
| 1970 | There Was a Crooked Man... | No | Yes | No |
| 1972 | What's Up, Doc? | No | Yes | No |
| Bad Company | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 1977 | The Late Show | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1978 | Superman | No | Yes | No |
| 1979 | Kramer vs. Kramer | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1982 | Still of the Night | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1984 | Places in the Heart | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1987 | Nadine | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1988 | The House on Carroll Street | No | No | Yes |
| 1991 | Billy Bathgate | Yes | No | No |
| 1994 | Nobody's Fool | Yes | Yes | No |
| 1998 | Twilight | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2003 | The Human Stain | Yes | No | No |
| 2005 | The Ice Harvest | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2007 | Feast of Love | Yes | No | No |
· Theatre
1966
Role(s)
Libretto; adaptation in television film (1975)
| Year | Title | Notes |
| 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
1978
The Late Show
Role(s)
Nominated
1985
Best Director
Role(s)
Places in the Heart
Notes
Nominated
Best Original Screenplay
Role(s)
Won
1995
Best Adapted Screenplay
Role(s)
Nobody's Fool
Notes
Nominated
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
| 1968 | Best Original Screenplay | Bonnie and Clyde | Nominated |
| 1978 | The Late Show | Nominated | |
| 1980 | Best Director | Kramer vs. Kramer | Won |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Won | ||
| 1985 | Best Director | Places in the Heart | Nominated |
| Best Original Screenplay | Won | ||
| 1995 | Best Adapted Screenplay | Nobody's Fool | Nominated |
· Awards and nominations
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
| 1980 | Best Direction | Kramer vs. Kramer | Nominated |
· Awards and nominations
1985
Places in the Heart
Role(s)
Nominated
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
| 1968 | Best Screenplay | Bonnie and Clyde | Nominated |
| 1980 | Best Director | Kramer vs. Kramer | Nominated |
| Best Screenplay | Won | ||
| 1985 | Places in the Heart | Nominated |
· Awards and nominations
1985
Places in the Heart
Role(s)
Nominated
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
| 1980 | Outstanding Directing | Kramer vs. Kramer | Won |
| 1985 | Places in the Heart | Nominated |
· Awards and nominations
| Year | Category | Title | Result |
| 1977 | Golden Bear | The Late Show | Nominated |
| 1985 | Silver Bear for Best Director | Places in the Heart | Won |
· Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
| 1978 | Edgar Awards | Best Motion Picture Screenplay | The Late Show | Won |
| 1981 | César Awards | Best Foreign Film | Kramer vs. Kramer | Nominated |
| 1984 | Toronto International Film Festival | People's Choice Award | Won | |
| 2007 | Writers Guild of America | Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement | Won | |
· Awards and nominations › Accolades for Benton's directed features
Nominations
Nominations
Year
Nominations
Picture
Wins
Academy Awards
Nominations
Academy Awards
Wins
BAFTAs
Nominations
BAFTAs
Wins
1977
1977
Year
1977
Picture
The Late Show
Academy Awards
1
BAFTAs
1
Golden Globes
1
1979
1979
Year
1979
Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
Academy Awards
9
Academy Awards
5
BAFTAs
6
Golden Globes
8
Golden Globes
4
1984
1984
Year
1984
Picture
Places in the Heart
Academy Awards
7
Academy Awards
2
Golden Globes
3
Golden Globes
1
1991
1991
Year
1991
Picture
Billy Bathgate
Golden Globes
1
1994
1994
Year
1994
Picture
Nobody's Fool
Academy Awards
2
Golden Globes
1
Total
Total
Year
Total
Picture
19
Academy Awards
7
Academy Awards
7
BAFTAs
14
Golden Globes
5
| Year | Picture | Academy Awards | BAFTAs | Golden Globes | |||
| Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | Nominations | Wins | ||
| 1977 | The Late Show | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 1979 | Kramer vs. Kramer | 9 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 4 | |
| 1984 | Places in the Heart | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 1991 | Billy Bathgate | 1 | |||||
| 1994 | Nobody's Fool | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 19 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 5 | ||
· Awards and nominations › Directed Oscar Performances
Academy Award for Best Actor
Academy Award for Best Actor
Year
Academy Award for Best Actor
1980
1980
Year
1980
Performer
Dustin Hoffman
Feature
Kramer vs. Kramer
Result
Won
1995
1995
Year
1995
Performer
Paul Newman
Feature
Nobody's Fool
Result
Nominated
Academy Award for Best Actress
Academy Award for Best Actress
Year
Academy Award for Best Actress
1985
1985
Year
1985
Performer
Sally Field
Feature
Places in the Heart
Result
Won
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Year
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
1980
1980
Year
1980
Performer
Justin Henry
Feature
Kramer vs. Kramer
Result
Nominated
1985
1985
Year
1985
Performer
John Malkovich
Feature
Places in the Heart
Result
Nominated
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Year
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
1980
1980
Year
1980
Performer
Jane Alexander
Feature
Kramer vs. Kramer
Result
Nominated
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Year
Meryl Streep
Performer
Won
1985
1985
Year
1985
Performer
Lindsay Crouse
Feature
Places in the Heart
Result
Nominated
| Year | Performer | Feature | Result |
| Academy Award for Best Actor | |||
| 1980 | Dustin Hoffman | Kramer vs. Kramer | Won |
| 1995 | Paul Newman | Nobody's Fool | Nominated |
| Academy Award for Best Actress | |||
| 1985 | Sally Field | Places in the Heart | Won |
| Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor | |||
| 1980 | Justin Henry | Kramer vs. Kramer | Nominated |
| 1985 | John Malkovich | Places in the Heart | Nominated |
| Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress | |||
| 1980 | Jane Alexander | Kramer vs. Kramer | Nominated |
| Meryl Streep | Won | ||
| 1985 | Lindsay Crouse | Places in the Heart | Nominated |
References
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/movies/robert-benton-dead.html
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/robert-benton-dead-bonnie-clyde-kramer-kramer-1236215494/
- Sarasota Herald-Tributehttps://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20040131/honoree-robert-benton-dealt-with-dyslexia-before-awards
- Turner Classic Movieshttps://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/14179%7C131302/Robert-Benton/
- "SALLIE BENTON | Official Artist Website"http://salliebenton.com/
- "Sallie Benton"https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nytimes/name/sallie-benton-obituary?id=51854093
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/movies/robert-benton-dead.html
- The Alcaldehttps://books.google.com/books?id=wtwDAAAAMBAJ&dq=A+Texas+Romance%2C+1909&pg=PA11
- berlinale.dehttp://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1985/03_preistr_ger_1985/03_Preistraeger_1985.html
- "Acclaimed Screenwriter-Director Robert Benton to Receive Screen Laurel Award at 2007 Writers Guild Awards"https://web.archive.org/web/20150116101331/http://www.wga.org/wga-awards/2007-screen-laurel-award-robert-benton.aspx