Robert Benton, the acclaimed filmmaker who co-wrote the groundbreaking “Bonnie and Clyde” and earned three Academy Awards for his work on “Kramer vs. Kramer” and “Places in the Heart,” died Sunday, May 11, at his home in Manhattan, New York City. He was 92.
His longtime assistant and manager, Marisa Forzano, confirmed his death to The New York Times.
Born on September 29, 1932, in Dallas, Texas, and raised in nearby Waxahachie, Benton had a childhood marked by challenges. He struggled with dyslexia before the condition was widely recognized, which led him to develop a visual approach to storytelling. Rather than learning narrative through books, Benton absorbed storytelling techniques at the movie theater, where his father would take him instead of asking about homework.
“I was dyslexic before anybody knew what dyslexia was. I was called ‘slow’. It’s an awful feeling to think of yourself as ‘slow’ – it’s horrible,” Benton once reflected about his childhood difficulties.
After attending the University of Texas at Austin, where his classmates included actors Rip Torn and Jayne Mansfield, Benton received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1953. Following military service in the U.S. Army from 1954-56, he briefly attended Columbia University before landing a job at Esquire magazine as an assistant to the art director.
It was at Esquire where Benton met David Newman, beginning a collaborative partnership that would help reshape American cinema. The duo spent nearly a decade writing spec scripts before their breakthrough with “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967), a film that revolutionized Hollywood with its blend of violence, humor, and sympathy for its outlaw protagonists. The inspiration for the script came from stories Benton’s father had shared about the infamous duo, having attended both their funerals in Dallas in 1934.
Benton and Newman continued their successful collaboration on several films, including “There Was a Crooked Man…” (1970), the screwball comedy “What’s Up, Doc?” (1972), and “Superman” (1978), which they co-wrote with Mario Puzo and Leslie Newman.
Benton’s directorial debut came with “Bad Company” (1972), an offbeat Western starring Jeff Bridges. He followed with the critically acclaimed film noir “The Late Show” (1977), featuring Art Carney and Lily Tomlin, before reaching the pinnacle of his career with “Kramer vs. Kramer.”
The 1979 drama about divorce and parental relationships earned Benton Academy Awards for both directing and adapted screenplay. The film, which starred Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep (both of whom won Oscars for their performances), became the highest-grossing film of the year and captured the cultural shift in American family dynamics.
Benton won his third Oscar for the screenplay of “Places in the Heart” (1984), an autobiographical story based on his grandmother’s experiences during the Depression in Texas. The film, which earned Sally Field her second Best Actress Oscar, reflected Benton’s deep connection to his Texas roots.
Throughout his career, Benton was known as an “actor’s director” who consistently attracted top talent. He directed Paul Newman to an Oscar nomination in “Nobody’s Fool” (1994) and collaborated with the actor again in “Twilight” (1998). His later work included “The Human Stain” (2003), starring Anthony Hopkins and Nicole Kidman, and “Feast of Love” (2007), with Morgan Freeman and Radha Mitchell.
Despite his success, Benton maintained a modest demeanor and focus on storytelling rather than flash. He once said the common thread that flowed through all his work was family, a theme evident in his most personal and acclaimed films.
Benton’s approach to filmmaking was characterized by attention to dialogue and character development. He allowed his actors to reveal their characters’ motivations naturally through conversation, creating moments of genuine emotional insight.
His talent for directing actors resulted in eight Oscar nominations for performances in his films, with three wins. Beyond his technical skill, Benton brought an empathetic understanding of human relationships to his work, particularly evident in the nuanced portrayal of the painful divorce in “Kramer vs. Kramer.”
Benton had been married to artist Sallie Rendig Benton, a fashion illustrator turned painter, for 60 years until her death in 2023 at age 88. He is survived by their son, John.
His death marks the loss of a filmmaker whose quiet, character-driven approach to cinema created some of the most emotionally resonant American films of the late 20th century, works that continue to influence filmmakers today with their authentic portrayals of human relationships and family struggles.
