Robert Benton

Robert Douglas Benton was an American film director and screenwriter. He, along with his co-writer David Newman, was nominated for the Academy Award 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 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the 1984 film Places in the Heart.

Early life

Benton was born in Dallas, Texas, to Dorothy and Ellery Douglass Benton, a telephone company employee. He grew up in Waxahachie, Texas, and attended the University of Texas, graduating in 1953 with a bachelor of fine arts. Benton served two years in the army and then moved to New York City to pursue a master's degree in art history at Columbia University. However, he dropped out after a semester and joined the staff at Esquire magazine.

Career

In 1959, he co-wrote the book The IN and OUT Book with Harvey Schmidt, published by Viking Press. He was the art director at Esquire in the early 1960s.
Benton won the Academy Awards for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director for Kramer vs. Kramer and Best Original Screenplay for Places in the Heart.
Benton garnered three additional Oscar nominations: two for Best Original Screenplay for Bonnie and Clyde and The Late Show, and one for Best Adapted Screenplay for Nobody's Fool.
He also directed Twilight and Feast of Love, and co-wrote the screenplays for Superman and The Ice Harvest.
In 2006, he appeared in the documentary film Wanderlust.

Personal life and death

Benton was married to artist Sallie Rendig, with whom he had a son, from 1964 until her death in 2023.
Benton died at his home in Manhattan on May 11, 2025, at the age of 92.

Films

Producer

''A Texas Romance, 1909''
Theatre

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Year	Category	Title	Result
1968	Best Original Screenplay	Bonnie and Clyde	Nomitated
1978	Best Original Screenplay	The Late Show	Nomitated
1980	Best Director	Kramer vs. Kramer	Won
1980	Best Adapted Screenplay	Kramer vs. Kramer	Won
1985	Best Director	Places in the Heart	Nomitated
1985	Best Original Screenplay	Places in the Heart	Won
1995	Best Adapted Screenplay	Nobody's Fool	Nomitated

BAFTA Awards

Year	Category	Title	Result
1980	Best Direction	Kramer vs. Kramer	Nomitated

Golden Globe Awards

Year	Category	Title	Result
1968	Best Screenplay	Bonnie and Clyde	Nomitated
1980	Best Director	Kramer vs. Kramer	Nomitated
1980	Best Screenplay	Kramer vs. Kramer	Won
1985	Best Screenplay	Places in the Heart	Nomitated

Directors Guild of America

Year	Category	Title	Result
1980	Outstanding Directing	Kramer vs. Kramer	Won
1985	Outstanding Directing	Places in the Heart	Nomitated

Berlin International Film Festival

Year	Category	Title	Result
1977	Golden Bear	The Late Show	Nomitated
1985	Silver Bear for Best Director	Places in the Heart	Won

'''Other awards'''

Accolades for Benton's directed features

Directed Oscar Performances

Under Benton's directions, these actors have received Oscar nominations for their performances in their respective roles.

Archival sources

1969–1994 are housed at the Wittliff Collections, Texas State University in San Marcos.