The Towering Inferno The Towering Inferno The Towering Inferno is a 1974 American drama disaster film produced by Irwin Allen featuring an all-star cast led by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. The picture was directed by John Guillermin. A co-production between 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros., it was the first film to be a joint venture by two major Hollywood studios. It was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from a pair of novels, "The Tower" by Richard Martin Stern and "The Glass Inferno" by Thomas N. Scortia and Frank M. Robinson. The film earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture
Earthquake (1974 film) who has regained consciousness. Released in the United States on November 15, 1974, "Earthquake" would become the third highest-grossing film of the year; its competition, "The Towering Inferno", was the highest. The disaster film trend reached a zenith in 1974 with the combined releases of "Airport 1975" (the first "Airport" sequel), "Earthquake" and "The Towering Inferno". The films enjoyed staggering success, with "The Towering Inferno" earning $55 million in rentals, "Earthquake" earning $36 million and "Airport 1975" earning $25 million. By 1976, the disaster film cycle had also left its mark on the list of all-time box office champions, with