Robert Richter, the influential independent filmmaker and producer known for his vast body of work in documentary filmmaking, has passed away at the age of 95. He died on February 16 at his home in New York City due to complications from heart failure.
With nearly 90 documentaries to his name, Richter was a three-time Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Short and a recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including a National Emmy in 2008 for “exceptional merit in nonfiction filmmaking” as executive producer of the HBO documentary The Last Atomic Bomb. He also won three duPont Columbia Broadcast Journalism Awards and became the only independent producer to receive the United Nations Environment Programme’s Global 500 Award.
Born and raised in New York City, Richter’s career spanned decades. He began his filmmaking journey at Occidental College and later earned his M.F.A. from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop. Richter’s early career included work with the Edward R. Murrow-Fred Friendly documentary team at CBS, where he produced primetime documentaries and news features alongside Walter Cronkite.
In 1968, Richter left CBS to pursue independent filmmaking under Richter Productions, Inc., creating over 50 documentaries for major networks like ABC, NBC, and PBS. He also played a significant role in developing the Independent Television Service (ITVS), which became the largest funder of documentaries by independent producers in the U.S.
Richter’s contributions extended beyond filmmaking—he was a dedicated advocate for independent filmmakers and served in leadership roles for various organizations, including the ACLU and CARE, USA. His memoir Documentaries and Serendipity was published in 2022.
He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth (Libby) Bassett, four daughters, and three grandchildren.