On Monday of this week, Richard Donner's wife Lauren Shuler Donner, who also works in the film industry as a producer, confirmed in an interview that her husband had sadly passed away.

Richard Donner’s first major break was with ‘The Omen’ in 1976 and he later went on to produce the films ‘Free Willy’ and ‘The Lost Boys’.

In 1985 Richard Donner directed and produced the 80’s family favourite  and cult classic film ‘The Goonies’ which Steven Spielberg wrote the story on which the film was based on. In an interview, Steven Spielberg said that Richard Donner was “gifted across so many genres”, he went on to say "Being in his circle was akin to hanging out with your favourite coach, smartest professor, fiercest motivator, most endearing friend, staunchest ally, and - of course - the greatest Goonie of all", Steven finished his interview with "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 always".

Richard Donner was born in the Bronx, New York, he started in television in the early 1960s, with credits including anthology series The Twilight Zone and spy thriller The Man From Uncle. Although it wasn't until the mid-1970s that he got his main break in Hollywood. His work on 1978's Superman, starring Christopher Reeve, is often regarded as the first modern superhero film and forever will be remembered.

The Actor Mel Gibson, who starred in Richard Donner's Lethal Weapon movies as well as Conspiracy Theory, said in a brief interview that Richard Donner was "magnanimous of heart and soul, which he liberally gave to all who knew him." He continued to say "If we piled up all the good deeds he did, it would stretch to some uncharted place in the firmament. I will sorely miss him, with all his mischievous wit and wisdom.” 

Richard Donner was one of the greats and has forever left his mark on Hollywood and the whole of the film industry.