Director-producer Richard Donner, best known for helming the “Lethal Weapon” film series, “The Goonies” and the original “Superman” film, died on Monday. He was 91. Donner’s production company confirmed news of his death to Variety, though the cause was not disclosed. Though not his first bigscreen effort, his big feature break came with 1976’s “The Omen,” starring Gregory Peck and Lee Remick. Thereafter, he brought his craftsmanship to the first “Superman.” He also branched out into producing (“Free Willy,” “The Lost Boys”), usually with his wife Lauren Shuler Donner — he executive produced the huge 2000 success “X-Men” and later the prequel “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” But his career was highlighted by the “Lethal Weapon” series, starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, which elevated him to the ranks of directors generating more than a billion dollars in box office. Donner began to add producing to his credits, many in conjunction with wife, with such films as “Omen III: The Final Conflict” and later “The Lost Boys,” “Delirious,” as well as “Demon Knight” (1995) and “Bordello of Blood,” features spawned from the HBO series “Tales From the Crypt” that he also produced from 1989-91. In the 1990s, he also produced the appealing “Free Willy” trilogy of children’s films. Donner also helmed and produced the time-travel tale “Timeline” in 2003, and in 2006, the Bruce Willis actioner “16 Blocks.” He is survived by his wife, whom he married in 1986. (SD-Agencies) | 