AceShowbiz - Robert Towne, the Oscar-winning screenwriter whose work on "Chinatown" (1974) became a model of the filmmaking art form and reflected the jaded allure of Los Angeles, died at his Los Angeles home on Monday, July 1 surrounded by family, said publicist Carri McClure. She declined to provide details on the cause of death.

Recognized in Hollywood for his high forehead and full beard, Towne won an Academy Award for "Chinatown" and was nominated three other times for "The Last Detail" (1973), "Shampoo" (1975) and "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes" (1984). He received a lifetime achievement award from the Writers Guild of America in 1997.

Towne began his career in television, working on shows like "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "The Lloyd Bridges Show". He later moved into film, writing low-budget films for producer Roger Corman. His breakthrough came through a connection with actor Warren Beatty, who brought him in to revise the script for "Bonnie and Clyde". Towne's contributions to the 1967 film went uncredited, and he spent years as a ghost writer on films like "The Godfather" and "Heaven Can Wait".

Towne's credited work includes "The Last Detail" and "Shampoo", both starring Nicholson, and "Chinatown," a thriller set during the Great Depression. "Chinatown" was directed by Roman Polanski and starred Nicholson as J.J. "Jake" Gittes, a private detective investigating a complex water rights conspiracy. The film's script became a staple in film writing classes and included the iconic closing line "Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown."