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 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 (née Spaulding) 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 (1979) and Best Original Screenplay for Places in the Heart (1984).
Benton garnered three additional Oscar nominations: two for Best Original Screenplay for Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and The Late Show (1977), and one for Best Adapted Screenplay for Nobody's Fool (1994).
He also directed Twilight (1998) and Feast of Love (2007), and co-wrote the screenplays for Superman (1978) and The Ice Harvest (2005).
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 Year Title Director Writer ExecutiveProducer1967Bonnie and Clyde1970There Was a Crooked Man...1972What's Up, Doc?Bad Company1977The Late Show1978Superman1979Kramer vs. Kramer1982Still of the Night1984Places in the Heart1987Nadine1988The House on Carroll Street1991Billy Bathgate1994Nobody's Fool1998Twilight2003The Human Stain2005The Ice Harvest2007Feast of Love
Producer A Texas Romance, 1909 (1964) (Short film)
Theatre YearTitleNotes1966It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's SupermanLibretto; adaptation in television film (1975)1969Oh! Calcutta!Contribution in libretto; adaptation in theatrical film (1972)
Awards and nominations Academy Awards Year Category Title Result 1968 Best Original Screenplay Bonnie and Clyde 1978 The Late Show 1980 Best DirectorKramer vs. Kramer Best Adapted Screenplay 1985 Best Director Places in the Heart Best Original Screenplay 1995 Best Adapted Screenplay Nobody's Fool
BAFTA Awards Year Category Title Result 1980 Best Direction Kramer vs. Kramer
Golden Globe Awards Year Category Title Result 1968 Best Screenplay Bonnie and Clyde 1980 Best Director Kramer vs. Kramer Best Screenplay 1985 Places in the Heart
Directors Guild of America Year Category Title Result 1980 Outstanding Directing Kramer vs. Kramer 1985 Places in the Heart
Berlin International Film Festival Year Category Title Result 1977 Golden Bear The Late Show 1985 Silver Bear for Best Director Places in the Heart
Other awards Year Award Category Title Result 1978 Edgar Awards Best Motion Picture Screenplay The Late Show 1981 César Awards Best Foreign Film Kramer vs. Kramer 1984 Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award 2007 Writers Guild of America Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement
Accolades for Benton's directed features YearPictureAcademy AwardsBAFTAsGolden GlobesNominationsWinsNominationsWinsNominationsWins1977The Late Show1111979Kramer vs. Kramer956841984Places in the Heart72311991Billy Bathgate11994Nobody's Fool21Total1977145
Directed Oscar Performances Under Benton's directions, these actors have received Oscar nominations (and wins) for their performances in their respective roles. YearPerformerFeatureResultAcademy Award for Best Actor1980Dustin HoffmanKramer vs. Kramer1995Paul NewmanNobody's FoolAcademy Award for Best Actress1985Sally FieldPlaces in the HeartAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actor1980Justin HenryKramer vs. Kramer1985John MalkovichPlaces in the HeartAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress1980Jane AlexanderKramer vs. KramerMeryl Streep1985Lindsay CrousePlaces in the Heart
References
Archival sources The Robert Benton Papers 1969–1994 (24 linear feet) are housed at the Wittliff Collections, Texas State University in San Marcos.
External links
Profile of Robert Benton in The New York Observer "Robert Benton’s Portland Feast" from Willamette Week