Robert Towne, the Oscar-winning Hollywood screenwriter behind hits like “Chinatown” and “Mission: Impossible,” has passed away.

He was 89.

The Associated Press reports Towne died Monday surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, according publicist Carri McClure. She declined to comment on the cause of death.

Born in Los Angeles, Towne began his movie career like so many other industry icons by working with and for the late Roger Corman. He took an acting class with Corman before writing a script for the famed B-movie director.

Towne got work as a script doctor, touching up popular films like “Bonnie and Clyde,” before he broke through in 1973 with his script for Hal Ashby’s “The Last Detail,” starring Jack Nicholson.

Towne earned an Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay, leading to his next project that would eventually win him the big one. His script for Roman Polanski’s neo-noir drama “Chinatown,” also starring Nicholson, earned him the Oscar for best original screenplay and established him as one of Hollywood’s greatest living screenwriters.

Other credits include “The Yakuza,” “Shampoo,” “The Two Jakes” and “Love Affair.” Towne also wrote scripts for Tom Cruise films like “Days of Thunder” and his first two “Mission: Impossible” movies in the franchise that remains popular and active today.

He also earned Oscar nominations for “Shampoo” and “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.”

Towne also directed films including “Personal Best” starring Mariel Hemingway, “Tequila Sunrise” starring Mel Gibson, “Without Limits” starring Billy Crudup, and “Ask the Dust” starring Colin Farrell.