Life and work
Robert Towne was an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor. Born: 23 November 1934. Died: 1 July 2024. Citizenship recorded in the biographical source: United States.
Writer/Creator · 1934–2024
Robert Towne
Robert Towne was an American screenwriter, producer, director and actor. Born on 23 November 1934, this profile follows Robert Towne through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include Chinatown (1974) and The Rock (1996). The location trail reaches The Biltmore Los Angeles, Alcatraz Island and Golden Gate Bridge, with existing stories in San Francisco. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
← All peopleFollow the geography ↓Resized without enlargement and converted to WebP. Existing square frame may crop; full source appearance retained.
Chinatown · The Biltmore Los Angeles
Robert Towne is credited as writer on Chinatown. The work’s existing location story leads to The Biltmore Los Angeles. The Biltmore Los Angeles is documented as a location associated with Chinatown (1974). The pin identifies the site; individual shots and interior sets can differ.
The Rock · Alcatraz Island
Robert Towne is credited as writer on The Rock. The work’s existing location story leads to Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz Island is retained as city orientation only; the current citation does not establish a title-specific event at this address.
THE PLACES BEHIND THE STORY
A life on the map.
Explore 6 connections. Each connection links to its evidence; outlined circles mark approximate areas, not exact buildings or camera positions.
The Biltmore Los Angeles ↗︎
A screen location
The Biltmore Los Angeles is documented as a location associated with Chinatown (1974). The pin identifies the site; individual shots and interior sets can differ.
506 S Grand Avenue
Open street map ↗︎Legion of Honor ↗︎
The Rock — Legion of Honor
Legion of Honor is retained as city orientation only; the current citation does not establish a title-specific event at this address.
100 34th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
Open street map ↗︎Golden Gate Bridge ↗︎
The Rock — Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge is retained as city orientation only; the current citation does not establish a title-specific event at this address.
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
Open street map ↗︎Transamerica Pyramid ↗︎
The Rock — Transamerica Pyramid
Transamerica Pyramid is retained as city orientation only; the current citation does not establish a title-specific event at this address.
600 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Open street map ↗︎Alcatraz Island ↗︎
The Rock — Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island is retained as city orientation only; the current citation does not establish a title-specific event at this address.
Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, CA 94133
Open street map ↗︎Union Square ↗︎
The Rock — Union Square
Union Square is retained as city orientation only; the current citation does not establish a title-specific event at this address.
333 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94108
Open street map ↗︎IN THE STORY1934-11-23 2024-07-01
Born 23 November 1934
Died 1 July 2024
Explore a shared connection.
WORKS
Culture, connected.
Follow the work through its real places.
Chinatown
Roman Polanski
The Rock ↗︎
The Rock
KEEP EXPLORING
Cities and Worlds.
Los Angeles ↗︎
Follow a scene into the hills. A song onto the Strip. A story all the way to the ocean.
San Francisco ↗︎
Suspense on the waterfront, chases on impossible grades and music built in shared rooms.
The Rock ↗︎
Follow The Rock through 5 real places in San Francisco. Alcatraz supplies both the fortress and the historical myth for a city-scale action thriller.
Chinatown ↗︎
Ledger: tear the page out of the land books to find the real address behind each film name.
PEOPLE IN THE STORY
Creative connections.
Follow collaborators through their work and the real places tied to it.
Nicolas Cage ↗︎
Nicolas Cage is an American actor. Born on 7 January 1964, this profile follows Nicolas Cage through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Valley Girl (1983), The Rock (1996) and Gone in 60 Seconds (2000). The location trail reaches Sherman Oaks Galleria, Van Nuys High School and Will Rogers State Beach, with existing stories in San Francisco. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
Roman Polanski ↗︎
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish filmmaker. Born on 18 August 1933, this profile follows Roman Polanski through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include Chinatown (1974). The location trail reaches The Biltmore Los Angeles. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
Hans Zimmer ↗︎
Hans Zimmer is a German film composer. Born on 12 September 1957, this profile follows Hans Zimmer through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include The Rock (1996), Pearl Harbor (2001), The Dark Knight — Chicago (2008) and Angels & Demons (2009). The location trail reaches Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate Bridge and Legion of Honor, with existing stories in San Francisco, Chicago, Rome and London. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
Ed Harris ↗︎
Ed Harris is an American actor and director. Born on 28 November 1950, this profile follows Ed Harris through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include The Rock (1996) and Westworld (2016). The location trail reaches Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate Bridge and Legion of Honor, with existing stories in San Francisco. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
John Huston ↗︎
John Huston was an American film director, screenwriter, and actor. Born on 5 August 1906, this profile follows John Huston through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include Chinatown (1974). The location trail reaches The Biltmore Los Angeles. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
Michael Bay ↗︎
Michael Bay is an American film director and producer. Born on 17 February 1965, this profile follows Michael Bay through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include The Rock (1996), Pearl Harbor (2001) and Transformers (2007). The location trail reaches Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate Bridge and Legion of Honor, with existing stories in San Francisco. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.