Oscar Legends 3: Directors-Producers who while not nominated for an Academy Award, made films that were nominated for Oscars and have a impact on film or film fans.
Since my first Oscar Legends list is very famous along with my spin off (Other Actors and Actress who had involvement with other Oscar films besides act) and my second one is almost getting really famous. I have decided to make a third one, one that has director to producers who while not getting an Academy Award nomination for the category they are good in, manege to make lots Academy Award nominated films while having their movie followers or change how cinema is and where so close at getting nominated for the Academy Award movie he or she did work on. Whether it be directing, screenplay, story, film editing, cinematography, production design, costume design, animated feature or picture. We all need to see that they were nominated in our books for some of their movies they worked on and had at least made one or two films we saw them try their best to entertain us.
Rows 1-13 are famous film crew members who went to be directors (who go their start as cinematographer or a film editor).
Rows 14-23 are famous animation creators who were almost nominated for Best Animated Feature and also animated directors who would of been great nominated if Best Animated Feature began at the 68th Academy Awards.
Rows 24-95 are famous writers and some may be directors/writers but their written is more famous then their directing.
Rows 96-347 are famous directors who's styles have left an impact on our views of movies and why we love them.
And finally rows 348-394 are legendary film producers who while not nominated for Best Picture have made and finance the films we would love see over and over again and like the people in the writers row, some of these producers are also directors but are better as producers.
To see the reason of this list and more understanding of it, check the list that was the first version and inspiration for it called Famous Directors that had involvement with Oscar movies. To see why I made this list.
Rows 1-13 are famous film crew members who went to be directors (who go their start as cinematographer or a film editor).
Rows 14-23 are famous animation creators who were almost nominated for Best Animated Feature and also animated directors who would of been great nominated if Best Animated Feature began at the 68th Academy Awards.
Rows 24-95 are famous writers and some may be directors/writers but their written is more famous then their directing.
Rows 96-347 are famous directors who's styles have left an impact on our views of movies and why we love them.
And finally rows 348-394 are legendary film producers who while not nominated for Best Picture have made and finance the films we would love see over and over again and like the people in the writers row, some of these producers are also directors but are better as producers.
To see the reason of this list and more understanding of it, check the list that was the first version and inspiration for it called Famous Directors that had involvement with Oscar movies. To see why I made this list.
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- Camera and Electrical Department
- Director
- Cinematographer
When he made his directorial debut in 1970, Nicolas Roeg was already a 23-year veteran of the British film industry, starting out in 1947 as an editing apprentice and working his way up to cinematographer twelve years later. He first came to attention as part of the second unit on David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia (1962), with Roger Corman's The Masque of the Red Death (1964) two years later containing his first really distinctive solo work. He went on to photograph films for such distinguished directors as François Truffaut (Fahrenheit 451 (1966)), John Schlesinger (Far from the Madding Crowd (1967)) and Richard Lester (Petulia (1968)) before his sensational directorial debut in 1968. Co-directed with writer (and painter) Donald Cammell, Performance (1970) was intended to be a simple-minded star vehicle for Mick Jagger and Warner Bros were so horrified when they saw the final multi-layered kaleidoscope of sex, violence, and questions of identity that they delayed its release for two years. Roeg went to Australia for his solo debut as director (Walkabout (1971)), which was also his last film as cinematographer, and throughout the next decade he produced a world-class body of work (Don't Look Now (1973); The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976); Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession (1980)) that revealed his uniquely off-kilter view of the world, expressed through fragmented, dislocated images and a highly original yet strangely accessible approach to narrative. He married the star of Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession (1980), the elegant Theresa Russell who would play the female lead in nearly all his subsequent films, though these have generally found less favor with critics and audiences, and the release of both Eureka (1983) and Cold Heaven (1991) was severely restricted due to problems with the films' distributors.A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Far from the Madding Crowd- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Producer
Jan de Bont was one of 17 children born into a Roman Catholic Dutch family in Eindhoven on 22 October 1943. Credited with being creative and having a good mentality for camera techniques, he became a popular cinematographer. He worked on a huge number of films before finding himself on the production of Speed (1994), his first film as a director. He has resided in Los Angeles since 1968.
The film was a success and took him onto the next set for Twister (1996), which he also directed. But then the total flops started coming his way: firstly, Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997), which he wrote and directed but without the company of Keanu Reeves. He also directed the star-packed The Haunting (1999) but that also failed at the box office. Later, he directed Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003). He is still active in cinema.Turkish Delight
The Clan of the Cave Bear
Die Hard
Black Rain
The Hunt for Red October
Flatliners
Basic Instinct
Speed
Twister
Minority Report- Producer
- Director
- Cinematographer
Barry Sonnenfeld was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from New York University Film School in 1978. He started work as director of photography on the Oscar-nominated In Our Water (1982). Then Joel Coen and Ethan Coen hired him for Blood Simple (1984). This film began his collaboration with the Coen Bros., who used him for their next two pictures, Raising Arizona (1987) and Miller's Crossing (1990). He also worked with Danny DeVito on his Throw Momma from the Train (1987) and Rob Reiner on When Harry Met Sally... (1989) and Misery (1990). Sonnenfeld got his first work as a director from Orion Pictures on The Addams Family (1991), a box-office success released in November 1991 followed by its sequel, Addams Family Values (1993). He received critical acclaim for his fourth directorial effort, Get Shorty (1995). Produced by Jersey Films and based on a novel by Elmore Leonard, the film won a Golden Globe for best male performance. In 1996 Steven Spielberg asked him to direct Men in Black (1997). Starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, the movie was a critical and financial smash. Producer Jon Peters then asked Sonnenfeld to direct Wild Wild West (1999), an adaptation of an old TV series. He also directed the comedy Big Trouble (2002), after which he made his most successful film sequel, Men in Black II (2002).Throw Momma from the Train
Big
When Harry Meet Sally...
Misery
The Addams Family
Addams Family Values
Men in Black
Enchanted- Editor
- Director
- Editorial Department
Raja Gosnell started his film career as an assistant editor in the late 1970s. His first credit as a film's main editor was the romantic comedy "The Lonely Guy" (1984), for director Arthur Hiller. During the 1980s, Gosnell served as editor in films directed by Tom Laughlin, David Worth, Bob Dahlin, Bert Convy, Christopher Leitch, Annabel Jankel, Rocky Morton, Phillip Schuman, and Chris Columbus.
For Columbus he edited the comedy film "Heartbreak Hotel" (1988), which features a 1970s teenager kidnapping singer Elvis Presley, to bring home as a gift for his mother. During the 1990s, Gosnell would serve as editor in several more film by Columbus.
The 1990s started with Gosnell working as editor in two high-profile projects: "Pretty Woman" (1990) by Garry Marshall, and "Home Alone" (1990) by Chris Columbus. Both turned out to be among the major hits of the year 1990. He then worked in the Columbus' films "Only the Lonely" (1991), "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (1992), "Mrs. Doubtfire" (1993), and "Nine Months" (1995). Gosnell had few other editing credits during the 1990s and retired as an editor in 1995.
Gosnell resurfaced as a film director in his own right, hired to direct "Home Alone 3" (1997). The film was intended to continue the "Home Alone" franchise with a new set of characters and no connection to the events of the previous films. The film was a minor box office hit, and the series next continued with a television film. Gosnell was not asked to direct further "Home Alone" films.
His next directorial credit was the romantic comedy film "Never Been Kissed" (1999). The premise of the film is that a 25-year-old female newspaper editor poses as high school student to get a story. She ends up revisiting traumas from her teenage years and finding new love interests. The film was another minor box office hit.
Gosnell's next film was the action comedy "Big Momma's House" (2000). The premise is that a young, male FBI agent impersonates the elderly grandmother of a suspect, in order to investigate a case. The film was an unexpected box office hit (earning about 174 million at the worldwide box office), and received two sequels of its own. Gosnell had nothing to do with the sequels, but the film cemented his reputation as a commercially successful director.
Gosnell was next hired to direct "Scooby-Doo" (2002), an adventure comedy-film, combining live action with computer animation. The film earned about 275 million at the worldwide box office, and became one of the most commercially successful films released in 2002. It was the biggest hit yet in Gosnell's career.
Gosnell was next assigned to direct the sequel film "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed" (2004), which also combined live action with computer animation. The film performed decently at the box office, but failed to match the commercial success of the original. Gosnell was not asked to direct further "Scooby-Doo films", and no further live-action "Scooby-Doo" productions were released for several years.
Gosnell's next film was the family comedy "Yours, Mine & Ours" (2005). The premise was the difficulties faced by a newlywed couple, whose children from previous relationships stand opposed to their marriage. The film stood out for an unusually large cast of child actors, as the premise was that the couple has 18 kids from previous relationships. Its box office performance was unremarkable.
Gosnell returned with a relatively low-budget film. the comedy "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" (2008). The premise of the film is that the pet dog of a wealthy American heiress is dog-napped and ends up wandering in Mexico. The film features live-action dogs with voice actors providing their dialogue. The film was an unexpected box office hit, and received two sequels. Gosnell was not involved with the sequels.
Gosnell's next film was more high-profile: the comic book adaptation "The Smurfs" (2011), combining live-action with animation. The premise was that a small group of Smurfs and their opponents were accidentally transported to modern day New York City, resulting in a culture clash. The film earned about 564 million dollars at the worldwide box office, the greatest hit yet in Gosnell's career.
Gosnell was next assigned to direct the sequel "The Smurfs 2" (2013). which has the Smurfs be confronted by the Naughties, evil counterparts of them created by magic. While the film earned about 347 million dollars at the worldwide box office, it failed to match the success of the original and performed bellow expectations at most markets. The live-action Smurf films were discontinued and Gosnell was left with no ongoing projects for a while.
Gosnell is supposed to make a comeback in 2018 with new comedy films. Most of his films as a director have been comedy films and he is strongly associated with the genre.Pretty Woman
Home Alone
Mrs. Doubtfire- Editor
- Director
- Actor
George Bowers was born on 6 July 1944 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He was an editor and director, known for Money Train (1995), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) and A League of Their Own (1992). He was married to Irene Bowers. He died on 18 August 2012 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Harlem Nights
The Preacher's Wife- Director
- Production Designer
- Producer
Hardwicke's first film as a director was the Sundance winner THIRTEEN which explored the transition into teenage years with an authenticity that still captures young audiences (1.3 billion Tik Tok engagements.) Hardwicke directed LORDS OF DOGTOWN before she became best known as the director of TWILIGHT, which launched the blockbuster franchise and has since earned over three billion dollars. Recently her indie film PRISONER'S DAUGHTER premiered at TIFF 2022 and DREAMS IN THE WITCHHOUSE dropped on Netflix October 2022 as part of Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities. MAFIA MAMMA premieres in theaters on April 14 2023.Vanilla Sky
Thirteen- Editor
- Director
- Editorial Department
Duwayne Dunham was born on 17 November 1952 in Los Angeles County, California, USA. He is an editor and director, known for Twin Peaks (1990), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). He has been married to Janet Louise Young since 3 September 1983. They have two children.Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Blue Velvet
Wild at Heart- Cinematographer
- Director
- Producer
Esteemed cinematographer known for his long, durable association with Sidney Lumet. Trained at the Polish Film School in his native Lódz. After he immigrated to the U.S.A. he began working in commercials filming hundreds of memorable spots for IBM, Xerox, American Express, Pepsi ,Coca Cola, Chrysler revival with Lee Iacocca, Toyota and hundreds more. Breakthrough film was his work on the gritty urban thriller Prince of the City his first collaboration with Sidney Lumet. Bartkowiak worked on the director's next 11 films over the next 12 years. Bartkowiak became much in demand after his taut camera work in Speed and has worked three times for Barbra Streisand in Broadway Album Video, Nuts and The Mirror Has Two Faces. Some of the directors that Bartkowiak collaborated with are James Ivory, John Huston, Tony Scott, Billy Friedkin James Brooks, Ivan Reitman, Jan de Bont, Dick Donner, Taylor Hackford Producer Joel Silver started his directorial career with Romeo Must Die. And continued with Exit Wounds, Cradle to the Grave. Recently re released DOOM on Netflix, was called one of the best 15 action films .Prince of the City
The Verdict
Terms of Endearment
Prizzi's Honor
The Morning After
Speed
The Mirror Has Two Faces- Director
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Ernest Roscoe Dickerson A.S.C., aka. Ernest R. Dickerson, is an American film director and cinematographer. As a cinematographer, he is known for his frequent collaborations with Spike Lee. As a director, he is known for films such as Juice (1992), Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995), Bones (2001) and Never Die Alone (2004). He has also directed several episodes of acclaimed television series such as Once Upon a Time (2011), The Wire (2002), Dexter (2006), and The Walking Dead (2010).Do the Right Thing
Malcolm X- Editor
- Director
- Producer
Jeff Kanew was born on 16 December 1944 in New York City, New York, USA. He is an editor and director, known for Revenge of the Nerds (1984), Eddie Macon's Run (1983) and Natural Enemies (1979).Ordinary People- Editor
- Editorial Department
- Director
Patrick Lussier is known for Drive Angry (2011), My Bloody Valentine (2009) and Terminator Genisys (2015).Music of the Heart- Editor
- Director
- Editorial Department
Having started out in the film industry as a clapper boy, by the 40's he was working in the editing department and by the 50's he was an assistant editor then a fully fledged editor. In 1962 as editor on the first James Bond film, Dr No, he helped to create a new fast style which put it's mark on action editing. From then on he was associated with all the early Bond films working his way up to second unit director then his directorial debut with 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' in 1969.Goldfinger
Gold- Editor
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
He started on the Shepperton Studios cutting rooms in 1948 working on such as 'The Wooden Horse' and 'The Third Man' before moving to Nettlefold Studios where his stay was interrupted by two years National Service after which he joined Group 3 at Beaconsfield . His next move was becoming sound editor at Shepperton then film editor on television documentaries and filmed such series as 'Danger Man' on which he directed some action sequences. After some years he became supervising editor and director on various television series. Ditrector Peter Hunt invited him to be editor and second unit director on the film 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' repeating the duties on ''The Wild Geese' and 'The Sea Wolves' after which Albert Broccoli invited him to direct 'For Your Eyes Only'Gold
The Spy Who Loved Me
Moonraker
For Your Eyes Only- Animation Department
- Director
- Producer
Don Bluth was one of the chief animators at Disney to come to the mantle after the great one's death. He eventually became the animation director for such films as The Rescuers (1977) and Pete's Dragon (1977). Unfortunately, the quality of animation that Disney was producing at this point was not up to par with the great works of Disney, and there was rumor that the production unit at Disney might be shut down indefinitely. In retaliation, Bluth and several other animators led a walkout, and went off to form their own independent animation firm. Bluth's first animated feature may still be his best. The Secret of NIMH (1982) was an animated film based on the children's book "Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of Nimh". The film dealt with a widowed field mouse named Mrs. Brisbee and her plight to move her house before the farmer plants his field. The rats of Nimh, an organization of super intelligent rats, band together to help her. "The Secret of NIMH" was a visually ravishing film that hearkened back to the glory days of Disney. While animation buffs raved, the film did little business at the box office. (The growing number of VCR's in America would help the film reach a cult status on home video). Undaunted, Bluth persevered. He created the video games Dragon's Lair (1983) and Space Ace (1983), both of which allowed the player to control an actual cartoon. He later teamed up with Steven Spielberg for the films An American Tail (1986) and The Land Before Time (1988). While Bluth's ambition to restore animation to its previous glory was being realized, the Disney studio, whose recent films had failed to match Bluth's at the box office, was finally ready to return to true quality. With the release of The Little Mermaid (1989) and Beauty and the Beast (1991), Bluth had to compete with a Goliath. After his next film, All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989), received mixed opinions and failed to be more than a minor box office success, Bluth fell into a failing streak of films that were comparatively mediocre when placed alongside his previous work, including Rock-A-Doodle (1991), and Thumbelina (1994). Bluth later joined forces with 20th Century Fox where he made his first commercial hit in some time, Anastasia (1997). He followed up with the ambitious but hollow science fiction fantasy Titan A.E. (2000). While Bluth has yet to reach the glory of his earlier work, he nonetheless deserves credit as a champion of animation, and for surviving as an independent film maker.An American Tail
Anastasia- Director
- Visual Effects
- Writer
Barry Cook was born and raised in Nashville, TN, USA. He began making films at the age of ten on the family super 8 camera. He won two prizes in the local PBS-sponsored Young Filmakers Festival with "The Vampire" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" at the age of twelve. During summers, he and his brother would work at Opryland USA, drawing caricatures of the guests. At the age of eighteen, Barry moved to California to pursue his career in motion pictures. He studied at Columbia College, where he spent time helping colleagues with their student films. He served as an intern at Hanna Barbera. He joined Disney in 1981 to work on "Tron". He has worked as an animator on many Disney films, including "Oliver & Company" and "Captain EO". He has worked at Disney for seventeen years, and "Mulan" was his directing debut. He currently lives in Florida with his wife and four children.Mulan- Animation Department
- Director
- Writer
Frederik Du Chau was born on 15 May 1965 in Belgium. He is a director and writer, known for Racing Stripes (2005), Underdog (2007) and Hong Kong Phooey.Quest for Camelot- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Rob Minkoff was born on 11 August 1962 in Palo Alto, California, USA. He is a producer and director, known for The Lion King (1994), Stuart Little 2 (2002) and The Forbidden Kingdom (2008). He has been married to Crystal Kung Minkoff since 29 September 2007. They have two children.The Lion King
Stuart Little- Visual Effects
- Writer
- Director
Mark Dindal is an American animation film director, writer and voice actor from Columbus, Ohio who is known for directing the comedy classic Disney film The Emperor's New Groove. He is also known for directing Warner Brothers' musical Cats Don't Dance and Disney's Chicken Little. He provided animation for The Rocketeer. He voiced a few minor characters in his films.The Emperor's New Groove- Producer
- Writer
- Animation Department
Gábor Csupó is a Hungarian animator, film director, and producer. He has had a long career, but he is better known as the co-founder of animation studio Klasky-Csupo, Inc., a graphic design and animation studio based in Hollywood. The other major co-founder was his business partner and wife Arlene Klasky.
Gábor Csupó was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1952. At the time the country was known as the Hungarian People's Republic, a so-called "socialist republic" which served as a satellite state of the Soviet Union. He grew up during the Cold War (1947-1991). He started his animation career c. 1971, working as an animator for the animation studio Pannonia Film Studio. A state-financed company, Pannonia had a virtual monopoly in the Hungarian animation market. Csupó left the company and Hungary itself in 1975, migrating to Western Europe in search of better career opportunities.
While working in Sweden, Gábor Csupó met Arlene Klasky, an expatriate American animator who was a few years older than him. They started a relationship and were married to each other in 1979. Csupó came to the United States with her. He was able to find work as an animator at an American animation studio called Hanna-Barbera, which specialized on animated series for television. His relatively few credits with the company included the series "Casper and the Angels" (1979), "Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo" (1979-1980), and "The World's Greatest Super Friends" (1979-1980). All were short-lived works based on existing properties. None lasted more than 16 episodes.
In 1980, Gábor Csupó left Hanna-Barbera to start their own company with his wife Arlene Klasky their nephew Attila Csupó called Klasky-Csupo, Inc., a graphic design and animation studio based in Hollywood. Due to their lack of funds, the company's initial offices were just a spare room in its founders' apartment. For much of the 1980's, the company mainly worked on logo designs, feature film trailers, television show titles, and promos for various clients. The company acquired a reputation for creativity and originality, which allowed its founders to hire more personnel and expand its offices.
Csupo's first major career break came in 1987. James L. Brooks, founder of Gracie Films, was producing a new television show, "The Tracey Ullman Show" (1987-1990). It would include an animated segment featuring the Simpsons family, based on an idea by Matt Groening. Brooks needed an animation studio to handle production of the animation and hired Klasky Csupo to be that studio.
Csupo's ideas about the design of the Simpsons' characters were considered unorthodox. He and colorist Gyorgyi Peluce came up with the idea that all the characters would have yellow skin, and female character Marge Simpson would have blue hair. They felt that this would give the series a unique look. Gracie Films executives reportedly disliked the idea, but Groening liked it and convinced the others. The Simpsons caught on, and received their own spin-off series, called "The Simpsons" (1989-). Klasky Csupo served as the main company behind the series' animation for the first two seasons.
"The Simpsons" series had a larger cast of characters than the original short episodes for the "Ullman Show". The design of a supporting character called Dr. Nicholas "Dr. Nick" Riviera, an inept quack, was reportedly based on Csupo's own appearance. As the series progressed, Csupo had arguments with the executives of Gracie Film, over budgets and creative decisions. This resulted in Gracie deciding to terminate its relationship with Klasky Csupo in 1992, and to start a business relationship with rival animation studio Film Roman. Loosing its cash-cow series, Klasky Csupo was forced to fire much of its personnel.
The downturn in Klasky Csupo's fate was only temporary. In 1991, cable network Nickelodeon (which previously focused on live-action shows) wanted to add animated series to its line-up. Klasky Csupo's managed to convince the network to sign a contract about an original animation series called "Rugrats" (1991-2004). Starting out as an average television show, it turned to be a major commercial success. Production continued on-and-off for more than a decade, and the series received spin-off films and sequel series.
For most of the 1990s and the early 2000s, Klasky Csupo was a high-profile animation studio, with several television series in production. Gabor Csupo is credited as one of the main creators of "Rugrats", "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters" (1994-1997), "Santo Bugito" (1995-1996), "The Wild Thornberrys" (1998-2004), "Rocket Power" (1999-2004), "All Grown Up" (2003-2008), and "Rugrats Pre-School Daze" (2005). The company also had series by other creators. They worked with various networks, but the company's main customer was always Nickelodeon.
In 2006, Nickelodeon terminated its business relationship with Klasky Csupo, apparently due to its belief that the animation studio was producing work in an outdated style. The company went dormant for a number of years, though it has never been declared defunct. Gabor Csupo, on the other hand, was hired as the director of a live-action film: "Bridge to Terabithia" (2007). It was a relatively low-budget film with a cast consisting mainly of child actors, but tuned out be a minor box office hit (earning about 137 million dollars at the worldwide box office). The film in part served as a star vehicle for female lead AnnaSophia Robb, who was chosen for the role by Csupo himself.
Csupo returned to directing with the adult animated film "Immigrants" (2008). It featured two immigrants, one Hungarian and one Russian, getting in comical misadventures in modern day Los Angeles. Intended to become the start of a new franchise, the film failed to achieve much success.
Csupo next directed another live-action film, the fantasy film "The Secret of Moonacre" (2009). An adaptation of the novel "The Little White Horse" (1946) by Elizabeth Goudge, the film received only a limited release in a hand full of countries. The main star of the film was teenage actress Dakota Blue Richards, relatively popular in her native United Kingdom.
Csupo is living is semi-retirement in Hawaii for most of the 2010s, though he is reputedly attached to new projects and may yet make a comeback.The Wild Thornberrys Movie- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Nathan Greno was born in Kenosha, Wisc., on the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan. As a child, he developed a love for drawing, which quickly evolved into a passion for visual storytelling. Influenced by comic books and newspaper comic strips, he started filling tablets of paper full of sketches. He began creating his own characters, his own worlds and story lines. It was his frequent trips to the local movie theater that planted the seed for a future career at Walt Disney Animation Studios. He made sure to see all of Disney's classic animated films on the big screen. Animation was quickly becoming his favorite form of visual storytelling, so at the ripe old age of 8, he just knew he wanted to work for Disney.
Greno devoted himself to discovering all there was to know about the art of animation. He continued to create his own characters, crudely animating them in the pages of his school textbooks. In 1989, a family trip to Walt Disney World gave him his first real glimpse of animators at work. It was there that he watched the artists breathe life into their characters and he was more determined than ever to continue on his path to joining the Disney family. He went on to attend the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio.
In 1996, Greno's portfolio was accepted by Walt Disney Animation Studios in Florida. His career started as a clean-up animation artist on "Mulan." Having never lost his affinity for storytelling, he soon became obsessed with the storyboarding process at the studio. He realized that storyboarding was similar to the comic books and comic strips he grew up reading and creating.
Pursuing his new interest, Greno joined the story department in 1998. He was part of the story team on short film "John Henry" and feature-length "Brother Bear." He relocated to California in 2003, where he continued to work in the story department and in a variety of other capacities. He served as a screenwriter, story artist and voice actor on "Meet the Robinsons" and was then promoted to head of story on "Bolt." In that role, he oversaw the story of the film, managed the story crew and their sequences, while also storyboarding. He made his directorial debut with the short film, "Super Rhino," which was featured as an exclusive on the "Bolt" Blu-Ray/DVD. He also lent his voice talent to Dasher the Reindeer in Disney's 2009 animated holiday special "Prep and Landing."
Greno went on to direct the 2010 hit "Tangled," Walt Disney Animation Studios' 50th animated feature, with fellow director Byron Howard. According to John Lasseter, chief creative offices for Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, Greno and Howard created a movie that can sit on the shelf next to classic Disney animated films, while also being an entertaining roller coaster ride for modern audiences. In 2012, the Greno and Howard once again joined forces for "Tangled Ever After," a short film and continuation of the "Tangled" story that saw the kingdom abuzz over the royal wedding of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider.
Since, Greno has contributed to Walt Disney Animation Studios' two Academy Award®-winning feature length films, as an additional story artist on "Frozen" (2013) and a creative advisor for "Big Hero 6" (2014). Greno resides in the hills of Los Feliz, Calif., just down the street from Walt Disney's old house, with his fiancée Colie. His favorite film of all time is and always will be "Dumbo."Tangled- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Philip A. Lord is an American filmmaker, producer and writer who collaborates with Christopher Miller. They both worked on Clone High, a cult classic animated sci-fi teen comedy show, The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Into the Spider-Verse is considered one of the best animated films of the 2010s and won Best Animated Feature.The Lego Movie- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Christopher Miller is an American filmmaker, producer and writer who collaborates with Philip A. Lord. They both worked on Clone High, a cult classic animated sci-fi teen comedy show, The Lego Movie, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Into the Spider-Verse is considered one of the best animated films of the 2010s and won Best Animated Feature.The Lego Movie- Producer
- Executive
Dan is the CEO and Head Wrangler of Rideback, the film and television company known for producing tentpole live-action and animated content for global audiences. Rideback is housed inside Rideback Ranch. This innovative, creative campus formed by Lin in LA's Historic Filipinotown district is also home to industry leading companies Warner Animation Group, David Ayer's Cedar Park Entertainment, premier animation studio Animal Logic, and Margot Robbie's LuckyChap Entertainment.
Since his company's formation in 2008, Lin has produced films that have grossed over $4 billion in worldwide box office. He most recently produced Disney's $1 Billion blockbuster "Aladdin," Stephen King's "It: The Second Chapter," and the acclaimed Netflix awards contender, "The Two Popes."
His past films include LEGO movie franchise films "The LEGO Movie," "The LEGO Batman Movie," "The LEGO Ninjago Movie," "The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part," Stephen King's "It," and Netflix's "Death Note."
Lin also previously produced the hit mystery thrillers "Sherlock Holmes" and "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," which starred Robert Downey Jr., and executive produced Fox's TV series "Lethal Weapon," based on the film franchise.
Prior to forming Lin Pictures, Lin served as Senior Vice President of Production for Warner Bros. Pictures. During his eight-year tenure at the studio from 1999 to 2007, he oversaw the development and production of such films as Martin Scorsese's Academy Award-winning drama "The Departed."
Lin serves on the Board of Directors for several non-profit organizations, including the Evolve Entertainment Fund, the Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Children, and the I Dream of Fish Foundation. In June 2015, he was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Lin received his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1994 and his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1999.Sherlock Holmes
The Lego Movie- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Colin Higgins was born on 28 July 1941 in Nouméa, New Caledonia, France. He was a writer and director, known for 9 to 5 (1980), Harold and Maude (1971) and Foul Play (1978). He died on 5 August 1988 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.Silver Streak
Foul Play
Nine to Five
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas- John Gregory Dunne was born on 25 May 1932 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. He was a writer, known for A Star Is Born (2018), A Star Is Born (1976) and Up Close & Personal (1996). He was married to Joan Didion. He died on 30 December 2003 in New York City, New York, USA.A Star is Born
Up Close & Personal - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Highly influential, and always controversial, African-American actor/comedian who was equally well known for his colorful language during his live comedy shows, as for his fast paced life, multiple marriages and battles with drug addiction. He has been acknowledged by many modern comic artist's as a key influence on their careers, and Pryor's observational humor on African-American life in the USA during the 1970s was razor sharp brilliance.
He was born Richard Franklin Lennox Pryor III on December 1, 1940, in Peoria, Illinois, the son of Gertrude L. (Thomas) and LeRoy "Buck Carter" Pryor. His mother, a prostitute, abandoned him when he was ten years of age, after which he was raised in his grandmother's brothel. Unfortunately, Pryor was molested at the age of six by a teenage neighbor, and later by a neighborhood preacher. To escape this troubled life, the young Pryor was an avid movie fan and a regular visitor to local movie theaters in Peoria. After numerous jobs, including truck driver and meat packer, the young Pryor did a stint in the US Army between 1958 & 1960 in which he performed in amateur theater shows. After he left the services in 1960, Pryor started singing in small clubs, but inadvertently found that humor was his real forte.
Pryor spent time in both New York & Las Vegas, honing his comic craft. However, his unconventional approach to humor sometimes made bookings difficult to come by and this eventually saw Pryor heading to Los Angeles. He first broke into films with minor roles in The Busy Body (1967) and Wild in the Streets (1968). However, his performance as a drug addicted piano player in Lady Sings the Blues (1972), really got the attention of fans and film critics alike.
He made his first appearance with Gene Wilder in the very popular action/comedy Silver Streak (1976), played three different characters in Which Way Is Up? (1977) and portrayed real-life stock-car driver "Wendell Scott" in Greased Lightning (1977). Proving he was more than just a comedian, Pryor wowed audiences as a disenchanted auto worker who is seduced into betraying his friends and easy money in the Paul Schrader working class drama Blue Collar (1978), also starring Yaphet Kotto and Harvey Keitel. Always a strong advocate of African-American talent, Pryor next took a key role in The Wiz (1978), starring an all African-American cast, including Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, retelling the story of The Wizard of Oz (1939). His next four screen roles were primarily cameos in California Suite (1978); The Muppet Movie (1979); Wholly Moses! (1980) and In God We Trust (or Gimme That Prime Time Religion) (1980). However, Pryor teamed up with Gene Wilder once more for the prison comedy Stir Crazy (1980), which did strong box office business.
His next few films were a mixed bag of material, often inhibiting Pryor's talent, with equally mixed returns at the box office. Pryor then scored second billing to Christopher Reeve in the big budget Superman III (1983), and starred alongside fellow funny man John Candy in Brewster's Millions (1985) before revealing his inner self in the autobiographical Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986). Again, Pryor was somewhat hampered by poor material in his following film ventures. However, he did turn up again in See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) with Gene Wilder, but the final product was not as sharp as their previous pairings. Pryor then partnered on-screen with two other very popular African-American comic's. The legendary Redd Foxx and 1980s comic newcomer Eddie Murphy starred with Pryor in the gangster film Harlem Nights (1989) which was also directed by Eddie Murphy. Having contracted multiple sclerosis in 1986, Pryor's remaining film appearances were primarily cameos apart from his fourth and final outing with Gene Wilder in the lukewarm Another You (1991), and his final appearance in a film production was a small role in the David Lynch road flick Lost Highway (1997).
Fans of this outrageous comic genius are encouraged to see his live specials Richard Pryor: Live and Smokin' (1971); the dynamic Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979); Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982) and Richard Pryor... Here and Now (1983). In addition, The Richard Pryor Show (1977) is a must-have for any Richard Pryor fans' DVD collection.
Unknown to many, Pryor was a long time advocate against animal cruelty, and he campaigned against fast food chains and circus shows to address issues of animal welfare. He was married a total of seven times, and fathered eight children.
After long battles with ill health, Richard Pryor passed away on December 10th, 2005.Blazing Saddles- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Bernard Gordon was born on 29 October 1918 in New Britain, Connecticut, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Horror Express (1972), Zombies of Mora Tau (1957) and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). He was married to Jeannette Lewin. He died on 11 May 2007 in Hollywood Hills, California, USA.55 Days at Peaking
Krakatoa: East of Java- Writer
- Producer
- Director
John Hughes was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter. He was credited for creating some of the most memorable comedy films of the 1980s and the 1990s, when he was at the height of his career. He had a talent for writing coming-of-age stories, and for depicting fairly realistic adolescent characters.
In 1950, Hughes was born in Lansing, Michigan. The city's main employers for much of the 20th century were manufacturing plants for automobiles. Lansing housed the headquarters of companies such as Oldsmobile and the REO Motor Car Company. Hughes' father John Hughes Sr. was a salesman, while Hughes' mother Marion Crawford worked as a volunteer for charity organizations.
Hughes had three sisters and no brothers. His family moved often. For most of his childhood, the Hughes family lived in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, a commuter suburb of Metro Detroit. According to an interview of Hughes, he was the only boy in his neighborhood while growing up. He was surrounded by girls and "old people," and there was no boys around for him to befriend. He spend a lot of time alone, and used his active imagination to keep himself entertained.
In 1963, the Hughes family moved to Northbrook, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Hughes attended first the Grove Middle School, and then the Glenbrook North High School. His high school experiences reportedly provided inspiration for his teen-themed films of his career. According to interviews with Hughes' friends, Hughes had a poor relationship with his parents who often criticized him.
As an adolescent, Hughes felt the need to escape his problems. He became an avid film fan, as he found that films satisfied his need for escapism. He was a fan of both the Rat Pack (an informal group of actors and singers), and the music group The Beatles.
After graduating high school, Hughes enrolled in the University of Arizona. He eventually dropped out of the University, and tried to make a living as a comedy writer. He wrote jokes for professional comedians, such as Rodney Dangerfield (1921 - 2004) and Joan Rivers (1933 - 2014).
In 1970, Hughes was hired by the advertising company Needham Harper & Steers (1925-1986). That same year, Hughes married his former high school classmate Nancy Ludwig. Hughes worked in the advertising industry for several years. In 1974, Hughes was hired by the advertising agency Leo Burnett Worldwide. This company's most notable clients included the Pillsbury Company, StarKist, Heinz, Green Giant, and Philip Morris.
As a marketing agent, Hughes was assigned to handle Virginia Slims, a brand of cigarettes produced by Philip Morris. The assignment required him to regularly travel to New York City, where Philip Morris' headquarters were located. Hughes took the opportunity to visit the offices of the popular humor magazine "National Lampoon" (1970-1998) in New York City. He successfully negotiated a new position as a regular contributor to the magazine.
Hughes reportedly impressed the magazine's editors by producing quality work at a fast pace. Among his first short stories was "Vacation '58," based on his recollections of his family's vacations during his childhood. The story was eventually adapted into the road comedy film "National Lampoon's Vacation" (1983).
"National Lampoon" co-produced films written by their staff writers. Hughes provided the script for the black comedy "National Lampoon's Class Reunion" (1982), depicting a serial killer who targets his former classmates. The film was poorly received and under-performed at the box office, but it inspired Hughes to try to make a career as a screenwriter.
Hughes subsequently wrote the scripts for both "National Lampoon's Vacation" (1983) and "Mr. Mom" (1983), comedy films which were box office hits. He then signed a contract for three films with the studio Universal Pictures. He made his directing debut in the coming-of-age comedy film "Sixteen Candles" (1984). The film depicted the misadventures of high school sophomore Samantha "Sam" Baker (played by Molly Ringwald). It performed well at the box office, and was well-received by critics.
Hughes quickly established himself as a leading director of teen films. His films "The Breakfast Club" (1985), "Weird Science" (1985), and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986) are considered classics of the genre. To cover new ground, he then directed "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" (1987), featuring a duo of adult protagonists. The stars of the film were experienced comic actors Steve Martin and John Candy. The film was a hit. More importantly, Hughes and Candy became close friends. They would often work together in subsequent films.
Hughes' next film as a director was "She's Having a Baby" (1988), about the life of a newlywed couple. The film fared poorly financially and was considered rather "blasé" by critics. Hughes made a comeback with "Uncle Buck" (1989), about a lifelong bachelor who has to take care of his two nieces and a nephew. The film was a box office hit, earning about 80 million dollars at the box office.
Hughes' final film as a director was the comedy-drama "Curly Sue" (1991), about homeless con artist Bill Dancer (played by Jim Belushi) who desperately tries to keep the custody of his surrogate daughter. While moderately successful at the box office at the box office, the film was widely ridiculed for being overly sentimental.
In the 1990s, Hughes found success as a screenwriter, scripting several box office hits. Among his most notable films in this period were "Home Alone" (1990) and "Beethoven" (1992), with both films starting lucrative media franchises. Hughes also wrote the scripts of the sequels "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (1992) and "Home Alone 3" (1997). He also scripted a notable comic strip adaptation, "Dennis the Menace" (1993). It was based on the long-running comic strip "Dennis the Menace" (1951-) by Hank Ketcham (1920-2001).
In 1994, Hughes moved to the Chicago metropolitan area. At about that time, he started actively avoiding publicity. He rarely gave any interviews until the end of his life. In 1995, Hughes co-founded the production company Great Oaks Entertainment, which mainly handled co-production of Disney produced films. Hughes handled the scripting of two of the company's films: "101 Dalmatians" (1996) and "Flubber" (1997). Both were remakes of older films.
In 1997, Hughes severed his partnership with Ricardo Mestres. A year later, their final co-production, "Reach the Rock," was released. The film was scripted by Hughes, though it was uncharacteristically dramatic for a Hughes film. The film depicted the conflict between an alienated young man and a police chief.
In the 2000s, Hughes only scripted three more films. The most notable among them the romantic drama "Maid in Manhattan" (2002), a hit for protagonist Jennifer Lopez. It earned about 164 million dollars.
In August 2009, Hughes visited New York City with his wife. He wanted to visit one of his sons who lived there, and to meet his new grandson. On August 6, Hughes suffered a heart attack while walking in Manhattan. He was transported to Roosevelt Hospital, but died shortly after. He was fifty-nine years old.
Hughes was buried in Lake Forest Cemetery, a rural cemetery located in Lake Forest, Illinois. He was survived by his wife, their two children, and several grandchildren.Home Alone- Additional Crew
- Writer
- Director
Tom Mankiewicz was born on 1 June 1942 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was a writer and director, known for Ladyhawke (1985), Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (1980) and Diamonds Are Forever (1971). He died on 31 July 2010 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Diamonds Are Forever
Live and Let Die
Ladyhawke- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Hal Kanter started out writing variety shows and revues for television in the early 1950s. He turned to screenwriting in the mid-1950s, specializing in comedies (he wrote for Bob Hope and Martin & Lewis) but also turning out dramas such as The Rose Tattoo and Let's Make Love. He directed a few movies, and although they met with success and acclaim, he returned to television. In the 1970s he was the executive producer of the landmark series All in the Family (1971),among a dozen others.Mardi Gras
Pocketful of Miracles- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Don Rhymer was born on 23 February 1961 in Union, South Carolina, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Ferdinand (2017), Big Momma's House (2000) and Surf's Up (2007). He was married to Kate. He died on 28 November 2012 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Surf's Up
Rio- Writer
- Actor
Gore Vidal was born Eugene Louis Vidal in 1925 in West Point, New York, to Nina (Gore) and West Point aeronautics instructor and aviation pioneer Eugene Luther Vidal. The Vidals endured a rocky marriage divorcing ten years after Gore's birth. Young Gore spent much of his childhood with his blind grandfather, Senator T.P. Gore of Oklahoma. Vidal would later become the confidant of Jacqueline Kennedy when Jackie's mother married his former stepfather, Hugh D. Auchincloss. After graduating from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1943, Gore joined the US Army Reserves. Some of his Army experiences inspired his first novel, Williwaw, which was published when he was just 19. He dedicated the novel to J.T., a deceased prep-school friend. Subsequent novels would prominently feature gay male characters, and Gore found soon found his books had staying power on bestseller lists. In 1960, he unsuccessfully ran for Congress, backed by celebrity supporters like Paul Newman & Vidal's ex-fiancé Joanne Woodward. Another unsuccessful foray into politics would occur in 1982 when he ran for governor of California. In addition to being an accomplished writer, he is also a novice actor. His biggest roles to date have been in Gattaca (1997), Bob Roberts (1992), and With Honors (1994).Suddenly, Last Summer
The Best Man
Is Paris Burning?- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Born on November 21, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, Harold Allen Ramis got his start in comedy as Playboy magazine's joke editor and reviewer. In 1969, he joined Chicago's Second City's Improvisational Theatre Troupe before moving to New York to help write and perform in "The National Lampoon Show" with other Second City graduates including John Belushi, Gilda Radner and Bill Murray. By 1976, he was head writer and a regular performer on the top Canadian comedy series SCTV (1976). His Hollywood debut came when he collaborated on the script for National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) which was produced by Ivan Reitman. After that, he worked as writer with Ivan as producer on Meatballs (1979), Stripes (1981), Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989) and acted in the latter three. Harold Ramis died on February 24, 2014 at age 69 from complications of autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis.Ghostbusters- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Actor
Born in New Jersey and raised in Brooklyn, Richard Burton Matheson first became a published author while still a child, when his stories and poems ran in the "Brooklyn Eagle". A lifelong reader of fantasy tales, he made his professional writing bow in 1950 when his short story "Born of Man and Woman"? appeared in "The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction"; Matheson turned out a number of highly regarded horror, fantasy and mystery stories throughout that decade. He broke into films in 1956, adapting his novel "The Shrinking Man" for the big-screen The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957).Somewhere in Time- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Mann Rubin served in the U.S. Army Forces, 1945-47, stationed in Paris, France.
He attended New York University and earned his B.A. in 1952.
His first job as a writer was science fiction [at least 19 stories] for the DC Comics' books Strange Adventures and Mystery In Space, edited by Julius Schwartz.
He has also published fifteen short stories in the Alfred Hitchcock Magazine and other mystery anthologies. One of his stories, A Nice Touch, has been included in a British collection along with the works of H.G. Wells, Rudyard Kipling, and Robert Louis Stevenson.The Best of Everything
See You in Hell, Darling- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
- Additional Crew
Lorenzo Semple Jr. was born on 27 March 1923 in New Rochelle, New York, USA. He was a writer, known for Three Days of the Condor (1975), Flash Gordon (1980) and Never Say Never Again (1983). He was married to Joyce Miller and Ann Somers. He died on 28 March 2014 in Brentwood, California, USA.Papillon
Three Days of the Condor
King Kong- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Vincent Ward has produced, executive produced and/or written and directed feature films including What Dreams May Come (Which won an Oscar and was nominated for 2 Academy Awards), The River Queen (Won best film in Shanghai) and The Last Samurai (4 Academy Award nominations and winner of Best Foreign Film in Japan) developing the underlying material he chose the director, before acting as an executive producer on this film. Ward's films have earned critical acclaim and festival attention whilst achieving a wide, eclectic audience. Vigil (1984), The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey (1988) and Map of the Human Heart (1993) were the first films by a New Zealander to be officially selected for the Cannes Film Festival. Between them they garnered close to 30 national and international awards (including the Grand Prix at festivals in Italy, Spain, Germany, France and the United States). His latest feature film Rain of the Children (2008) was voted by the audience, from 250 feature films, to win the Grand Prix at Poland's largest film festival. The film was also nominated for best director in New Zealand and Australia. Ward was awarded an Order of New Zealand Merit in 2007 and is in the process of actively searching for material for new projects.Alien³
What Dreams May Come- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Although his name is often linked to that of the "movie brat" generation (Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, Brian De Palma, etc.) Paul Schrader's background couldn't have been more different than theirs. His strict Calvinist parents refused to allow him to see a film until he was 18. Although he more than made up for lost time when studying at Calvin College, Columbia University and UCLA's graduate film program, his influences were far removed from those of his contemporaries--Robert Bresson, Yasujirô Ozu and Carl Theodor Dreyer (about whom he wrote a book, "Transcendental Style in Film") rather than Saturday-morning serials. After a period as a film critic (and protégé of Pauline Kael), he began writing screenplays, hitting the jackpot when he and his brother, Leonard Schrader (a Japanese expert), were paid the then-record sum of $325,000, thus establishing his reputation as one of Hollywood's top screenwriters, which was consolidated when Martin Scorsese filmed Schrader's script Taxi Driver (1976), written in the early 1970s during a bout of drinking and depression. The success of the film allowed Schrader to start directing his own films, which have been notable for their willingness to take stylistic and thematic risks while still working squarely within the Hollywood system. The most original of his films (which he and many others regard as his best) was the Japanese co-production Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985).Taxi Driver
Obsession
Raging Bull
The Last Temptation of Christ
Affliction- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Matthew Vaughn is an English film producer and director. He is known for producing such films as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000) and for directing the crime thriller, Layer Cake (2004), the fantasy epic, Stardust (2007), the superhero comedy, Kick-Ass (2010), and the superhero film, X-Men: First Class (2011). Vaughn was educated at Stowe School in Buckingham, England. Taking a gap year between Stowe and university, he traveled the world on a Hard Rock Cafe tour and landed in Los Angeles, U.S. Here, he began working as an assistant to a director. He returned to London, attending University College London where he studied anthropology and ancient history. But the film bug had taken hold. He dropped out of university after a few weeks and returned to Los Angeles to start his career. He quickly realized, however, that everyone in town was trying to do the same thing, so he crossed back over the Atlantic to make a name for himself in England. At 25, he produced a little-seen thriller, The Innocent Sleep (1995), starring Annabella Sciorra and Michael Gambon. Vaughn continued as a producer on close friend Guy Ritchie's film, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). The film was a success in all aspects; earning Vaughn and Ritchie £9 million each. Vaughn would go on to produce Ritchie's equally acclaimed Snatch (2000) and the critically-mauled, Swept Away (2002). Vaughn made his directorial debut in 2004 with Layer Cake (2004). The film was well-received and its success led to Vaughn being tapped to direct X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) but he later dropped out only two weeks before filming began. Vaughn was, subsequently, very critical of Brett Ratner's direction of X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) (aka X-Men 3). Vaughn next directed Stardust (2007) and a movie adaption of Mark Millar's Kick-Ass. He was also in talks to direct an adaptation of "Thor", but left that project. In May 2010, 20th Century Fox confirmed that Vaughn will direct X-Men: First Class (2011) and announced the film will be released on June 3, 2011. Vaughn is best known for starting his career working as a producer for the Guy Ritchie films, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Snatch (2000) and Swept Away (2002). Jane Goldman is one the screenwriters who Vaughn collaborated with for the films, Stardust (2007), Kick-Ass (2010) and the upcoming X-Men: First Class (2011). The actors that Vaughn usually works with in his films are Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones, Jason Flemyng, Adam Fogerty, Sienna Miller, Brad Pitt (as a producer on Kick-Ass (2010)), Mark Strong, Robbie Gee, Alan Ford, Tamer Hassan and Dexter Fletcher. Vaughn's wife is German supermodel Claudia Schiffer, whom he married in Shimpling, Suffolk, in 2002. The couple have three children: son Caspar Matthew (born 30 January 2003), daughter Clementine de Vere Drummond (born 11 November 2004) and a second daughter, Cosima Violet (born 14 May 2010). They have homes in Suffolk and Notting Hill. He has hired ex-Gurkha soldiers for security for him and his wife following reports of stalkers apparently intruding their house.X-Men: Days of Future Past- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Edgar Howard Wright (born 18 April 1974) is an English director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He is best known for his comedic Three Flavours Cornetto film trilogy consisting of Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and The World's End (2013), made with recurrent collaborators Simon Pegg, Nira Park and Nick Frost. He also collaborated with them as the director of the television series Spaced.The Adventures of Tintin
Ant-Man- Writer
- Director
- Editor
Joe Cornish was born on 20 December 1968 in London, England, UK. He is a writer and director, known for Attack the Block (2011), Ant-Man (2015) and The Kid Who Would Be King (2019).The Adventures of Tintin
Ant-Man- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Adam McKay (born April 17, 1968) is an American screenwriter, director, comedian, and actor. McKay has a comedy partnership with Will Ferrell, with whom he co-wrote the films Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and The Other Guys. Ferrell and McKay also founded their comedy website Funny or Die through their production company Gary Sanchez Productions. He has been married to Shira Piven since 1999. They have two children.If Ant-Man gets nominated at the 88th Academy Awards.
Ant-Man- Writer
- Producer
- Director
David S. Goyer was born on 22 December 1965 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Dark City (1998), The Dark Knight (2008) and Flashforward (2009). He is married to Marina Black. They have two children. He was previously married to Jessika Borsiczky.Batman Begins
The Dark Knight- Writer
- Director
- Producer
As both writer and director, David Twohy has contributed much to the film world, helping to elevate movies in such a way that Entertainment Weekly was prompted to name him "one of the 100 most creative people in Hollywood." In his career, Twohy has worked with on-screen notables like Harrison Ford, Judi Dench, Kevin Costner, Vin Diesel, Thandie Newton, Tommy Lee Jones, Jeff Daniels, Richard E. Grant, Chris Hemsworth, Demi Moore, Bruce Greenwood, Olivia Williams, Tim Olyphant and Milla Jovovich. To name a few.
Twohy struck gold early with his screenplay for the Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones vehicle "THE FUGITIVE," nominated in 1993 for Best Screenplay Previously Produced or Published. Other writing-only credits include "WATERWORLD," "TERMINAL VELOCITY," and Ridley Scott's "G.I. JANE."
As a director, Twohy made his debut with "THE GRAND TOUR," which he adapted from Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore's haunting novella "Vintage Season." The movie received the Grand Prix at the Festival Du Film Fantastique and a Golden Scroll from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. Twohy was honored again with a Saturn Award for his follow-up directing effort, "THE ARRIVAL."
Twohy's next effort became one of 2000's most unexpected films, "PITCH BLACK." Released by Universal Studios, this modestly budgeted movie shot in the Australian outback startled critics and audiences alike with its chilling mood and unexpectedly deep characters. The success of "PITCH BLACK" would launch a new film franchise for Universal. Its sequels were the sweeping "CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK" and the spartan survival movie "RIDDICK."
Between franchise movies, Twohy found time to write and direct two stand-alone thrillers: "BELOW," co-written with Darren Aronofsky ("REQUIEM FOR A DREAM"), follows a series of eerie occurrences on a claustrophobic submarine during World War II. Twohy then turned to the wide open vistas of Hawaii to film "A PERFECT GETAWAY," a twisted tale that shocked audiences around the world.
Next up for Twohy is "RUNNING WITH LIONS," a contemporary story about the world of Formula One.The Fugitive
Waterworld- Producer
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert L. Levy is known for Smokey and the Bandit (1977), Point Break (1991) and Point Break (2015).Smokey and the Bandit- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Don Roos was born on 14 April 1955 in New York, USA. He is a writer and director, known for The Opposite of Sex (1998), Happy Endings (2005) and M.Y.O.B. (2000). He has been married to Dan Bucatinsky since 2008. They have two children.Love Field- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Nicholas Stoller is an English-American screenwriter and director. He is known best for directing the 2008 comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and writing/directing its 2010 spin-off/sequel, Get Him to the Greek. He also wrote The Muppets and directed the Seth Rogen comedy, Neighbors. He is a frequent creative partner of Jason Segel.The Muppets- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Caroline Thompson was born on 23 April 1956 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. She is a writer and producer, known for Edward Scissorhands (1990), The Addams Family (1991) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). She is married to Steve Nicolaides. She was previously married to Henry Bromell.Edward Scissorhands
The Addams Family
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Corpse Bride- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Nick Castle was born on 21 September 1947 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a writer and director, known for The Last Starfighter (1984), The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) and Escape from New York (1981). He has been married to Mary Charlene Napp since 31 December 1981. They have one child.Hook
August Rush- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Matthew Robbins was born in New York City and went to the Johns Hopkins University, where he received a BA degree in Romance Languages. Shortly after getting his MFA at the USC School of Cinema, he began writing screenplays with partner Hal Barwood. Together, in a period of three years, they wrote and sold six scripts.
The Sugarland Express was Steven Spielberg's first feature film and starred Goldie Hawn. He t won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival.
He t was followed by two more features for Universal Studios: MacArthur, starring Gregory Peck, and The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings, starring James Earl Jones, Richard Pryor and Billy Dee Williams.
For MGM, he co-wrote and directed, Corvette Summer starring Mark Hamill and Annie Potts. At Paramount, with Hal Barwood, he co-wrote and directed Dragonslayer, starring Sir Ralph Richardson and Peter MacNicol. The film received two Academy Award nominations.
At TriStar, he directed The Legend of Billie Jean and, with Hal Barwood, wrote the screenplay for Twentieth Century Fox's Warning Sign.
For Steven Spielberg's Amblin Productions, he co-wrote and directed Batteries Not He ncluded, starring Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. He also directed the comedy Bingo, for Tri-Star.
Collaborating with writer/director Guillermo del Toro, he wrote Mimic, starring Mira Sorvino and Jeremy Northam. They also wrote Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, starring Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce.
Other screenplays written with Guillermo del Toro include The Count of Montecristo for American Zoetrope, The Coffin for Lightstorm Entertainment/20th Century-Fox and Wind in the Willows for Sony. He wrote the screenplay for Pinocchio based on his collaboration of the story with Mr. Del Toro, their stop-motion puppet interpretation of the Collodi classic for the Henson Company. They co-wrote H.P. Lovecraft fantasy classic, At the Mountains of Madness that was purchased by Universal Studios.
Del Toro/Robbins spec screenplay Crimson Peak, starring Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam and Directed by Mr. Del Toro was released in October 2015 by Universal Studios.
The French comedy The Concert, co-written with director Radu Mihaileanu, was nominated for Best Original Screenplay by l'Academie des arts et techniques du cinéma. The film starred Melanie Laurent, Aleksei Guskov and Miou-Miou.
Working with Bollywood director Vishal Bhardwaj, he has co-written Ek Thi Daayan, starring Emraan Hashmi, Konkona Sen Sharma and Kalki Koechlin. They also collaborated on 7 Khoon Maaf, starring Priyanka Chopra and He rrfan Khan. Their most recent film, Dedh He shqiya, stars Naseeruddin Shah and Madhuri Dixit. Rangoon.
Mr. Robbins collaborated with director Joann Sfar on The Shot, an English-language thriller for Pathé.
He n affiliation with George Lucas' company He ndustrial Light and Magic, Mr. Robbins has directed TV commercials for Coca-Cola, Chrysler, British Petroleum, Eveready, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Primestar, Eukanuba, Friday's, Crystal Light among many others.Dragonslayer- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Jeremy Leven was born on 16 August 1941 in South Bend, Indiana, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Don Juan DeMarco (1994), Real Steel (2011) and The Notebook (2004). He was previously married to Roberta Danza.Don Juan DeMarco
Real Steel- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Jessie Nelson wrote, directed and produced Corrina Corrina and I Am Sam, starring Sean Penn. She co-created and executive produced Sara Bareilles' Little Voice for Bad Robot and Apple TV. Among her other directing credits are Curb Your Enthusiasm and Love, The Coopers. Her writing credits also include Step Mom and The Story of Us. Nelson wrote the Broadway musical Waitress with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, which went on to the West End in London. Nelson directed Alice By Heart, which she co-wrote with Steven Sater with music by Duncan Sheik at the National Theater Connections Program in London and at MCC in NYC. She began her career as an actress at the Public Theater, working with the experimental theater, Mabou Mines, and acting with the New York Shakespeare Festival. Nelson is executive producing Nikesh Shukula's Brown Baby and Glennon Doyle's Untamed for television. She wrote the children's book Labracadabra.I Am Sam- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
- Producer
Jeanne Rosenberg is known for The Fog (1980), The Howling (1981) and The Journey of Natty Gann (1985).The Black Stallion
The Journey of Natty Gann- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Among the handful of screenwriters whose films have earned over $2 billion at the box office, Steven de Souza was introduced to Hollywood on camera--as a contestant on an L.A. game show. There the Philadelphia-based writer for PBS, The New York Times, Premiere and other media outlets won a car and a color TV--and then talked his way into the office of several producers to leave behind some writing samples. A contract with Universal Television as a story editor was the result. From there, he moved into producing (Knight Rider (1982)) and then earned his first film credit, on 48 Hrs. (1982). That film, along with Commando (1985), Die Hard (1988) and Die Hard 2 (1990), established his reputation as a writer who could juggle both action and humor. That combination remains evident in all of his subsequent work, which expanded to include science-fiction (V (1984), The Running Man (1987), Judge Dredd (1995)), horror (Tales from the Crypt (1989), Possessed (2000)) and fantasy (The Flintstones (1994), Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (1993), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003)). He has been nominated two times each for the Edgar Allen Poe award for best mystery screenplay and the Saturn award for best Science Fiction/Fantasy Film. In 2000 he was honored with the Norman Lear Award for Lifetime Achievement in writing.
In 2009 his web series Unknown Sender (2008) became an unprecedented triple honoree in the 13th annual Webby Awards--for best series and best writing and for Timothy Dalton's performance in If You're Seeing This Tape... (2008).Die Hard- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Joel Oliansky was born on 11 October 1935 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a writer and director, known for The Law (1975), The Silence at Bethany (1988) and Masada (1981). He was married to Patricia E. Godfrey. He died on 29 July 2002 in Los Angeles, California, USA.The Competition
Bird- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Starting out as a radio writer, Rodney Amateau began his career as a dialogue coach and filmed screen tests for Fox Studios while working as a stunt dbl before directing 2nd Unit's, where he began his film career. He soon turned to directing TV series, which he did for many years before returning to film directing in the 1970s.Sunset- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Billy Crystal was born on March 14, 1948 in Manhattan, New York, and was raised on Long Island. He is the youngest of three sons born to Helen (Gabler) and Jack Crystal. His father was a well-known concert promoter who co-founded Commodore Records and his mother was a homemaker. His family were Jewish emigrants from Russia, Austria, and Lithuania. With his father in the music business, Billy was no stranger to some of the top performers of the time. Legends such as Billie Holiday, Pee Wee Russell, and Eddie Condon regularly stopped by the Crystal household. At age 15, Billy faced a personal tragedy when his father died of a heart attack at the relatively young age of 54. This gave Billy a real appreciation of what his dad was able to accomplish while alive and what his mother did to keep the family together. Despite this tragedy, Billy was very upbeat and likable as a kid. He had a unique talent for making people laugh.
With television becoming a new medium, Billy got his influence from shows like The Honeymooners (1955), and "The Ed Sullivan Show" and performers like Alan King, Ernie Kovacs and Jonathan Winters. He started doing stand-up comedy at the age of 16. However, his real dream was to be a professional baseball player. His idol growing up was Yankees outfielder Mickey Mantle. He spent long hours in the summers playing softball in the middle of Park Avenue with his brothers and his father, a former pitcher at St. John's University . At Long Beach High, Billy played second base and was varsity captain in his senior year. This earned him a baseball scholarship from Marshall University in West Virginia which he accepted. However, he would never end up playing a game as the baseball program was suspended during his freshman year. This would lead him to leave the university and move back to New York. He then enrolled at nearby Nassau Community College, majoring in theater. It was there that he met and fell in love with a dancer named Janice Goldfinger. They would get married in 1970 and have two daughters. Shortly after, Billy got accepted in New York University, where he majored in Film and TV Direction. While at NYU, he studied under legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese. He also worked as house manager and usher on a production of "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown."
After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts from NYU in 1970, Billy temporarily worked as a substitute teacher until he was able to get gigs as a stand-up comic. He formed his own improv group, 3's Company, and opened for musicians like Barry Manilow. His impression of Howard Cosell interviewing Muhammad Ali became a huge hit with the audience. He left Long Beach for Hollywood in August of 1976 in the hopes of trying to land a role on a television series. It only took a year before he got his big break when he was chosen for the role of gay character Jodie Dallas on the controversial ABC sitcom Soap (1977). This would be the first time that an American TV show would feature an openly gay character as a regular. The show ran successfully for four seasons and helped to jump-start Billy's previously stagnant career. After Soap (1977) ended in 1981, Billy continued to do his stand-up routine, which was now attracting a larger audience with his growing celebrity status. During this time, he made many TV guest appearances and even hosted his own short-lived variety show, The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour (1982).
He became a regular on Saturday Night Live (1975) in 1984 where his Fernando Lamas impression with the catchphrase "You Look Mahvellous" was a huge hit with viewers. This would lead to appearances in feature-length films such as Running Scared (1986) and Throw Momma from the Train (1987). In 1986, along with Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams, he started Comic Relief, an annual stand-up comedy show which helped to raise money for housing and medical care for the homeless. The show has since grown substantially with the continued support of all three comics. Billy's career would peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His roles in the blockbuster movies When Harry Met Sally... (1989) and City Slickers (1991) helped to establish himself as one of Hollwood's top movie stars. This star status was further validated when he was chosen to host the annual Oscars in 1990, an honor in which he would repeat seven more times. He made his big screen directorial debut in the 1992 film Mr. Saturday Night (1992), which was about a washed-up stand-up comic who refuses to retire. He also wrote, produced and starred in the film. Although the film was not a huge hit, it proved that Billy was much more than an actor and comedian. In the following years, Billy continued to act in, produce, and direct several films.
He had his share of hits (Analyze This (1999), America's Sweethearts (2001)) and some flops (Fathers' Day (1997), My Giant (1998)). His role in as a therapist to mobster Robert De Niro in Analyze This (1999) earned him critical praise. In 2001, Billy parlayed his childhood love of baseball and Mickey Mantle into a feature film. The movie, 61* (2001), which premiered on HBO, centered on the relationship between Mantle and Roger Maris and their 1961 pursuit of Babe Ruth's home run record. The film for which Billy served as director and executive producer, garnered 12 Emmy nominations in all.
Offscreen, Billy remains married to Janice Crystal and they have homes in California and New York. Both of his daughters are involved in the film business. Jennifer Crystal Foley is an aspiring actress, appearing in 61* (2001), while Lindsay Crystal is an aspiring filmmaker, creating and directing the documentary My Uncle Berns (2003).Mr. Saturday Night- Writer
- Actor
- Director
Considered one of the pioneer screenwriters of the action genre, Black made his mark with his Lethal Weapon (1987) screenplay. He also collaborated on the story of the sequel, Lethal Weapon 2 (1989). Each successive script he turned in had a higher price attached it, from The Last Boy Scout (1991) to The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), and in between a re-write on the McTiernan/Schwarzenegger Last Action Hero (1993) script.Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon 2
Iron Man 3- Producer
- Director
- Writer
John Hamburg was born on 26 May 1970 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a producer and director, known for Little Fockers (2010), Why Him? (2016) and I Love You, Man (2009). He has been married to Christina Kirk since 24 September 2005.Meet the Parents- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Andrew Bergman was born on 20 February 1945 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is a writer and director, known for Striptease (1996), Blazing Saddles (1974) and Fletch (1985). He has been married to Louise Fay since 1973. They have two children.Blazing Saddles- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Stuart Beattie is known for Interceptor (2022), Collateral (2004) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003).Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Collateral
Australia- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Member of The Committee, an early improvisational comedy theater group in San Francisco, founded in the mid-1960s, which shared cast members including Gary Goodrow, Larry Hankin, Morgan Upton, Peter Bonerz, Del Close and John Brent, with similar groups such as the Compass Players (St. Louis) and the Second City (Chicago and New York).Jaws- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Director
David Koepp is an American film director and screenwriter. He is known for writing Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Spider-Man directed by Sam Raimi and Panic Room directed by David Fincher. He also directed You Should Have Left starring Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried.Death Becomes Her
Jurassic Park
The Paper
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Spider-Man
War of the Worlds- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Although Delmer Daves obtained a law degree at Stanford University, he never had the opportunity to use it; while still in college, he obtained a job as a prop boy on The Covered Wagon (1923) and after graduation was hired by several film companies as a technical advisor on films with a college background. Soon afterward he entered films as an actor, and after appearing in several pictures he began collaborating on screenplays and original stories. He wrote scripts for many of Hollywood's best films of the 1930s and 1940s, including The Petrified Forest (1936), Love Affair (1939) and You Were Never Lovelier (1942). Turning director with the classic Destination Tokyo (1943), Daves often wrote and produced his own pictures. Of the many films he made, the westerns he did were especially close to his heart--as a youth he had spent much time living on reservations with Hopi and Navajo Indians.Flirtation Walk
Love Affair
You Were Never Lovelier
Stage Door Canteen
Destination Tokyo
Hollywood Canteen
Pride of the Marines
Broken Arrow
An Affair to Remember
The Hanging Tree- Writer
- Director
- Visual Effects
Patrick Read Johnson was born in Wadsworth, Illinois, USA. He is a writer and director, known for 5-25-77 (2008), DragonHeart (1996) and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989).DragonHeart- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Rick Jaffa was born on 8 May 1956 in Dallas County, Texas, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Jurassic World (2015). He has been married to Amanda Silver since 29 June 1989. They have two children.If Jurassic World or In the Heart of the Sea gets nominated at the 88th Academy Awards.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Jurassic World- Writer
- Producer
- Actress
Amanda Silver was born on 24 May 1963 in the USA. She is a writer and producer, known for Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Jurassic World (2015). She has been married to Rick Jaffa since 29 July 1989. They have two children.If Jurassic World or In the Heart of the Sea gets nominated at the 88th Academy Awards.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Jurassic World- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Gregory Widen was born on 30 November 1958 in Los Angeles County, California, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for The Prophecy (1995), Backdraft (1991) and Highlander (1986).Backdraft- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Producer
David Seltzer was born on 12 February 1940 in Highland Park, Illinois, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Shining Through (1992), The Omen (1976) and The Omen (2006). He has been married to Carrie Hauman since 17 January 2010. He was previously married to Eugenia Zukerman.The Other Side of the Mountain
The Omen- Producer
- Writer
- Director
David Ayer is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. David Ayer was born in Champaign, Illinois and grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Bethesda, Maryland, where he was kicked out of his house by his parents as a teenager. Ayer then lived with his cousin in Los Angeles, California, where his experiences in South Central Los Angeles became the inspiration for many of his films. Ayer then enlisted in the United States Navy as a submariner.U-571
Training Day- Writer
- Director
- Additional Crew
Michael McCullers is known for Baby Mama (2008), Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) and Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002).Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me- Music Department
- Writer
- Producer
Matthew Stone is a Jewish-American actor, writer, director, musician and animator who frequently collaborates with Trey Parker. They created and voiced in the South Park franchise. Matt voiced Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick, Butters Stotch and other characters. He and Parker also worked on The Book of Mormon, Baseketball, Cannibal the Musical, Team America: World Police and Orgazmo.South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut- Writer
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Robert Mark Kamen was born on 9 October 1947 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for The Fifth Element (1997), The Karate Kid Part III (1989) and Taken 3 (2014). He is married to Evonne. They have three children.The Krate Kid
The Krate Kid, Part II
The Fifth Element- Actor
- Writer
- Director
David Hugh Leland (20th April 1941-24th December 2023) was a British theatre, film and television writer, director, and actor whose career spanned over five decades.
Leland initially trained as an actor at the Central Speech of School and Drama and appeared in multiple credits before moving into stage management and direction at the Crucible Theatre. Here, Leland collaborated with and helped inspire emerging talent such as Michael Palin and Terry Jones, directing the world premiere of 'Their Finest Hours'. He recognised the writing and performing genius of an as-of-yet undiscovered Victoria Wood, who wrote her first play, 'Talent' for Leland to direct.
He also gave Pierce Brosnan his first opportunity to act on stage in the British premiere of Tennessee Williams' 'The Red Devil Battery Sign' at The Round House, which Leland directed.
A long screenwriting career followed in both television and film, including the cult classic 'Made in Britain' (1982) directed by Alan Clarke and starring Tim Roth, which won the Prix Italia, 'Birth of a Nation' (1983) directed by Mike Newell, and Neil Jordan's 'Mona Lisa' (1986), starring a BAFTA-winning performance by Bob Hoskins. The film also received Academy, Golden Globe, and Writers Guild of America Award nominations.
Leland wrote two films about the British suburban madam Cynthia Payne: the BAFTA-nominated 'Personal Services' (1987) directed by Terry Jones and starring Julie Walters, and 'Wish You Were Here' (1987), which marked Leland's directorial debut and starred Emily Lloyd as a younger Cynthia. Leland won the BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay, and the film also won the FIPRESCI prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
His later films as a director include 'The Big Man' (1990) starring Liam Neeson, and 'Land Girls' (1998) starring Rachel Weisz, which Leland also co-wrote.
A passionate and life-long music-lover, particularly blues and jazz, Leland returned to the theatre in 1991 to direct the successful stage musical 'A Tribute to the Blues Brothers', which played in the West End of London and then toured for ten years across the UK and Australia.
Since his early days, Leland has worked extensively for television. He directed the episode Bastogne for HBO's landmark miniseries, 'Band of Brothers' (2001), receiving an Emmy Award for his direction, and contributed as both a director and writer to Showtime's 'The Borgias', starring Jeremy Irons. Leland returned as joint showrunner for the second series.
Leland was a close friend of George Harrison, with whom he worked on several occasions, chiefly as director on 'Checking Out' (1988) starring Jeff Daniels (which Harrison produced through HandMade Films) and as director for several Traveling Wilburys music videos including 'Handle With Care'. Leland also directed the music video to Tom Petty's 'I Won't Back Down' (which also featured George Harrison and Ringo Starr), and Sir Paul McCartney's 'Brown Eyed Handsome Man'.
Following George Harrison's untimely passing, Leland directed the cinematic documentary 'Concert For George' (2003), a memorial concert event which took place at the Royal Albert Hall, featuring the remaining Beatles: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, and many others. Leland won a GRAMMY® Award for the cinematic documentary, and the DVD subsequently went platinum eight times over.Mona Lisa- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Alek Keshishian was born on 30 July 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon. He is a director and writer, known for Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022), Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) and Selena Gomez: Hands to Myself (2015).W.E.- Producer
- Writer
- Director
David Benioff was born on 25 September 1970 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Game of Thrones (2011), The Kite Runner (2007) and 25th Hour (2002). He has been married to Amanda Peet since 30 September 2006. They have three children.Troy- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Jeffrey Boam was born on 30 November 1946 in Rochester, New York, USA. He was a writer and producer, known for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), The Dead Zone (1983) and The Phantom (1996). He was married to Paula M. Boam. He died on 26 January 2000 in Los Angeles, California, USA.Innerspace
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Lethal Weapon 2- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Roberto Orci was born on 20 July 1973 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He is a producer and writer, known for Star Trek (2009), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) and Fringe (2008). He has been married to Adele Heather Taylor since 6 June 2020. He was previously married to Melissa Blake.Transformers
Transformers: Revange of the Fallen
Star Trek
Star Trek Into Darkness- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Alex Kurtzman is an American filmmaker and screenwriter. He directed People Like Us and the panned 2017 reboot The Mummy starring Tom Cruise and Sofia Boutella. He wrote Transformers 1 and 2, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Star Trek, The Island and Cowboys & Aliens. He also created the TV show Fringe.Transformers
Transformers: Revange of the Fallen
Star Trek
Star Trek Into Darkness- Writer
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Christopher Markus was born on 16 October 1969 in Buffalo, New York, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Avengers: Endgame (2019), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). He has been married to Claire Saunders since 22 October 2011.The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Captain America: The Winter Soldier- Writer
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Stephen McFeely was born on 24 February 1970 in Walnut Creek, California, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Avengers: Endgame (2019), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005). He is married to Jennifer Cotteleer.The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Captain America: The Winter Soldier- Director
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Stewart Raffill's career includes 57 film and TV credits and 11 industry awards. As a writer/director he has worked with Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning talent. His films have been distributed by MGM/UA, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Disney ABC, New World Pictures, Orion, Netflix, Showtime, and Amazon. He wrote the original story for the action film Passenger 57 which opened number one at the box office. According to Variety Magazine, Raffill had four films on the All-Time Rental Champs List. His New Swiss Family Robinson film was the highest-rated Wonderful World of Disney Sunday night feature of the year.
Films written and directed by Stewart Raffill have starred: Michael Douglas, Richard Harris, Jodie Foster, Bryan Brown, James Brolin, Rod Steiger, Anthony Quinn, Anjelica Huston, James Coburn, Billy Zane, Jane Seymour, Juan Pablo Di Pace, and Paul Walker. He has directed episodic TV in the US and Europe. Raffill has filmed in multiple locations around the world including Europe, Canada, Mexico, Africa, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East.
He qualifies for European productions and tax incentives. He is the co-founder of Code 7 Films with offices in the US and the UK.
Stewart supports the conservation of wildlife and has filmed grizzly bears, lions, tigers, orangutans, wolves, jaguars, and snakes in many of his action films. Harry Percy, the 11th Duke of Northumberland and Godson of the Queen of England, commissioned Stewart to write and direct the action-adventure film Lost in Africa to raise awareness of the conservation needs in Africa.Napoleon and Samantha- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Noel Langley was a South African novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1961.
Langley was born on December 25, 1911 in Durban, South Africa. His parents were Aubrey Samuel Langley and Dora Agnes Allison. Aubrey served as the headmaster of Durban High School, and had a reputation as a strict disciplinarian and rugby football enthusiast. Noel was a sickly child with an interest in the in the arts. He had a strained relationship with Aubrey, who considered him a disappointment.
Noel attended Durban High School, and graduated in 1930. He next attended the University of Natal, and graduated in 1934. During his college years Langley started writing theatrical plays. His first success was the play "Queer Cargo" (1932), which was produced by the Durban Repertory Theatre in 1932. He migrated to the United Kingdom in 1934, and soon managed to have "Queer Cargo" produced there by Charles Wyndham (1837-1919), the proprietor of Wyndham's Theatre in London. The play run there for 7 months.
Noel started writing plays for the West End theaters. Meanwhile he also started publishing novels. His first novel was the historical satire "Cage Me a Peacock" (1935), set in ancient Rome. It was followed by the novel "There's a Porpoise Close Behind Us", and the children's novel "The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger" (1937) about the son of Aladdin.
Langley found work as a screenwriter for British films. One of his first works being the screenplay of the spy thriller "Secret of Stamboul" (1936), concerning plots for a coup in then modern Istanbul (Constantinople). In 1937, Langley signed a 7-years-long contract with the American film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and moved to Hollywood.
Langley's first American film was the musical "Mayday" (1937), an adaptation of an operetta by Sigmund Romberg (1887-1951). Having some experience as a children's writer, Langley was chosen as a screenwriter for the fantasy film "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). It was an adaptation of a children's novel by Lyman Frank Baum (1856-1919). Langley was credited with attempting to correct the "cutesy and oozy" ideas of his fellow screenwriters. He reportedly disliked the final version of the film, though he conceded that it was not a bad film.
His film career was interrupted by World War II, as Langley joined the Royal Canadian Navy. Following his war service, Langley mainly worked on British films. He directed three films during the 1950s. His last screenwriting credit was for the fantasy comedy "Snow White and the Three Stooges" (1961), featuring the comedy trio of Moe Howard (1897-1975), Larry Fine (1902-1975), and Joe DeRita (1909-1993).
From the 1950s onward, Langley contributed scripts for television series. He continued to write novels and plays. He also wrote a number of short stories, which were published by the magazine "The Saturday Evening Post". In his old age, he worked part-time in drug-rehabilitation.
Langley died in November 1980, at the age of 68. Several of his films continue to enjoy popularity, and his screenplay for "The Wizard of Oz" has received its own adaptations.The Wizard of Oz
Trio
Ivanhoe
The Pickwick Papers
Knights of the Round Table- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Craig Bolotin is an American screenwriter and film director. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley where he studied philosophy and penned film reviews. His screenwriting break came with his first uncredited rewrite for the critically acclaimed "Desperately Seeking Susan," starring Rosanna Arquette and Madonna. Arquette was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a comedy. Shortly thereafter, Bolotin sold his first original screenplay, a comedy "No Small Affair" starring John Cryer & Demi Moore. His next produced credit was "Black Rain" starring Michael Douglas and directed by Ridley Scott. Bolotin then wrote the original screenplay,"Straight Talk," produced by Disney. He directed his first feature film for producer Arnon Milchan, "That Night," starring Juliette Lewis. This was also the first feature film for actresses Eliza Dushku and Katherine Heigl. He then wrote and directed the original screenplay "Light It Up" with Forest Whittaker and Rosario Dawson, a story that shines a light on the plight of inner city school children.Black Rain- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Heywood Gould was born on 19 December 1942 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Cocktail (1988), The Boys from Brazil (1978) and One Good Cop (1991).The Boys from Brazil- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Adam Brooks was born on 3 September 1956 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is a writer and producer, known for Definitely, Maybe (2008), Whatever Works (2009) and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004).Beloved- Writer
- Producer
- Director
John Williams Byrum was born and raised in Winnetka, Illinois. While attending NYU Film School, he worked as an intern for Jim Henson and the Muppets, eventually working as a writer on the new Sesame Street (1969) show. Byrum moved to Los Angeles to pursue film work after writing several screenplays, including Inserts (1975). On the basis of that writing sample, he worked with producers Tony Bill, Don Devlin and Harry Gittes to write the script Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976) which was bought by Columbia Pictures for a record-breaking amount. Byrum then worked with Tony Richardson and Berry Gordy, writing the script for the Diana Ross vehicle, Mahogany (1975). Byrum directed his film Inserts (1975) with Richard Dreyfuss and Jessica Harper, then wrote and directed Heart Beat (1980) - based upon the lives of Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady and Carolyn Cassady, starring Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek and John Heard and followed with The Razor's Edge (1984) - co-written with Bill Murray and starring Murray, Catherine Hicks, Theresa Russell, James Keach and Denholm Elliott. With the box office failure of The Razor's Edge (1984), Byrum directed the goof-ball comedy The Whoopee Boys (1986) starring Michael O'Keefe and Paul Rodriguez and various stand-up comedians of the time, along with Denholm Elliott and Carole Shelley. Byrum turned to television, creating, writing and producing the critically-praised series Middle Ages (1992) starring Peter Riegert and writing, directing and producing the TV film/pilot Murder in High Places (1991), loosely based on a fictional Hunter Thompson-type character. Other series created, written and produced by Byrum include Winnetka Road (1994) and South of Sunset (1993), a television show that starred rock legend Glenn Frey of Eagles. Byrum's original screenplay Duets (2000) was due to begin production, starring Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow, when the couple's broken engagement derailed the project temporarily. "Duets" was eventually made with Gwyneth Paltrow, her father Bruce Paltrow directing, with Scott Speedman in the role originally pegged for Brad Pitt.
John Byrum has two children and resides in Connecticut with his wife and dogs.Mahogany- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Actor
Dan O'Bannon was inspired at an early age by EC Comics like Tales from the Crypt and old horror films that he saw in St. Louis. He even wrote a few stories for Heavy Metal magazine (which also showed up in the film).
O'Bannon got his start when he and John Carpenter collaborated on the cult sci-fi film Dark Star (1974). After a failed attempt to make "Dune" with bizarre surrealist Alejandro Jodorowsky in Europe, O'Bannon returned to the US and began work on "Star Beast" (later retitled Alien (1979)) with Ronald Shusett (with whom he later worked again on Dead & Buried (1981)). He continued working in the Sci-fi/Horror genre mostly as a script doctor, but his directorial debut, The Return of the Living Dead (1985) is known as one of the best zombie movies ever made (and as of this writing two sequels with another in production). Lately O'Bannon has been appearing in a lot of DVD documentaries discussing his work and his influences. It is also worth noting that all of his films have interesting psychological interpretations. He has a tendency to appear in bow ties.Alien
Blue Thunder
Total Recall- Writer
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Scott Alexander was born on 16 June 1963 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996), American Crime Story (2016) and Ed Wood (1994).Ed Wood
The People vs. Larry Flynt- Writer
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Mr. Karaszewski is known for unusual true stories written in tandem with Scott Alexander. Their feature film credits include the Oscar-winning Ed Wood, The People vs.Larry Flynt, Man on the Moon, Big Eyes, & Dolemite is My Name. Mr. Karaszewski co-chairs the International Feature Film category & won the Emmy, Golden Globe, PGA & WGA Award for The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. Mr. Karaszewski is a governor of the Writers Branch.Ed Wood
The People vs. Larry Flynt- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Michael Grais has written and produced movies of domestic and international acclaim, whose gross revenues have exceeded 650 million dollars. He has written everything from romantic comedies to action thrillers for seven Academy Award winning producers & directors.
From his association with Steven Spielberg, Grais co-wrote the mega-hit POLTERGEIST. This hugely successful film guaranteed a sequel, POLTERGEIST II, which Grais wrote and produced. In 2015, his screenplay for POLTERGEIST was remade into a hit for MGM.
Grais produced another box office hit, Stephen King's SLEEPWALKERS for Columbia Pictures, and co-wrote COOL WORLD starring Brad Pitt, Kim Basinger, and Gabriel Byrne with director Ralph Bakshi for Paramount Pictures.
Michael wrote and executive produced a limited series VISITORS FROM THE UNKNOWN for CBS and executive produced the film GREAT BALLS OF FIRE, starring Dennis Quaid, Alec Baldwin and Winona Ryder for Orion Pictures. He then co-wrote, produced, and financed the successful MARKED FOR DEATH with Steven Seagal for 20th Century Fox.
In Television, Michael executive produced WHO KILLED ATLANTA'S CHILDREN, the highest rated movie of that year for Showtime. He was also show runner in episodic television on the syndicated series, THE IMMORTAL, a supernatural one-hour action skein that shot in British Columbia and Prague.
In the late 90s to 2018, Grais' stage works included THE IMPERSONAL LIFE, play written and directed by Michael Grais (West L.A.). Notable plays directed by Michael Grais are MANGO TEA by Paul Weitz (L.A.), THE DEATH OF REASON by Stephanie Glick (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico), DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA by John Patrick Shanley (Berkeley, CA)Poltergeist
Poltergeist II: The Other Side- Producer
- Writer
- Executive
Mark Victor is known for Poltergeist (2015), Poltergeist (1982) and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986).Poltergeist
Poltergeist II: The Other Side- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Abi Morgan was born in 1968 in the UK. She is a writer and producer, known for Shame (2011), The Iron Lady (2011) and Suffragette (2015).The Iron Lady
The Invisible Woman- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Kurt Wimmer was born on 9 March 1964. He is a writer and producer, known for Equilibrium (2002), Total Recall (2012) and Point Break (2015).Salt- Writer
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Etan Cohen was born on 14 March 1974 in Israel. He is a writer and producer, known for Holmes & Watson (2018), Idiocracy (2006) and Men in Black³ (2012). He has been married to Emily Bowen-Cohen since 14 June 1998. They have three children.Tropic Thunder- Director
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Born in Shanghai and Cambridge-educated, Terence Young began in the industry as a scriptwriter. In the 1940s he worked on a variety of subjects, including the hugely popular wartime romance Suicide Squadron (1941), set to Richard Addinsell's rousing "Warsaw Concerto". His original story was devised while listening to a concert in an army training camp. As it turned out, Young was soon after involved in the war himself, as a member of the Guards.
By the end of the decade Young had graduated to directing. He made his debut with the psychological melodrama Corridor of Mirrors (1948), starring Eric Portman as a reclusive art collector obsessed with reincarnation and murder. During the following decade Young helmed a number of international co-productions, which featured imported stars from Hollywood (Alan Ladd in Paratrooper (1953); Olivia de Havilland in That Lady (1955); Victor Mature in Safari (1956), Zarak (1956) and Tank Force (1958)). These films were made by Warwick, an independent production company created jointly by Irwin Allen and future James Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli, and released through Columbia. Production values were often quite high, though scripts were of variable quality. "Safari", for instance, looked great, shot in Technicolor and CinemaScope on location in Africa, which partly compensated for the trite storyline.
Having acquired the rights to all available James Bond novels from Ian Fleming, producers Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli secured the necessary funding ($1,250,000) from United Artists and hired Young to direct the initial Bond entry, Dr. No (1962). That film's success got him re-hired to direct two subsequent Bond films, From Russia with Love (1963) (Young's own personal favorite) and Thunderball (1965). Young had acquired a solid reputation as a master of action subjects, and all three films move at a cracking pace. Exotic locales provide the background for a seamless mix of technical wizardry, sex, violence and tongue-in-cheek (sometimes campy) dialogue. Unfortunately, these films also marked the high point of Young's career, though he did direct another eerily effective psychological thriller, Wait Until Dark (1967), much in the vein of Alfred Hitchcock.
Among a brace of forgettable European co-productions, only two other films stand out: the bawdy, highly entertaining all-star period comedy The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965) and an intriguing expose of the inner workings--and dark beginnings--of the Cosa Nostra (based on an actual informant's testimony), entitled The Valachi Papers (1972). After that, Young's output became more patchy and his later career suffered as a result of two disastrous projects: first, the Korean War epic Inchon (1981), with Laurence Olivier badly miscast as Gen. Douglas MacArthur. The enterprise was reputedly financed by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's organization--aka the "Moonies"--to the tune of $40 million. Film critic Vincent Canby in the New York Times (September 17, 1982) referred to the picture as "hysterical" and "foolish", "the most expensive B-movie ever made". The second flop, a financially troubled production, was the predictably plotted spy thriller The Jigsaw Man (1983). Completed in 1982, the film was held back and not released until two years later. Young directed just one more film after that and left the industry in 1988. However, according to his daughter, he was working on a documentary in Cannes at the time of his death in September 1994. Though he went on record in 1966, asserting that he had grown rather tired of the Bond franchise, it is, nonetheless, that for which we will ultimately remember him.Thunderball
Wait Until Dark- Writer
- Director
- Actor
At age 17, Samuel Fuller was the youngest reporter ever to be in charge of the events section of the New York Journal. After having participated in the European battle theater in World War II, he directed some minor action productions for which he mostly wrote the scripts himself and which he also produced (e.g. The Baron of Arizona (1950)). His masterpiece was Pickup on South Street (1953) for 20th Century Fox, but at the end of the 1950s, he regained his independence from the production company and filmed many other movies of note, including the controversial White Dog (1982).Pickup on South Street
Hell and High Water- Director
- Producer
- Actor
Michael Ritchie was born on 28 November 1938 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA. He was a director and producer, known for The Golden Child (1986), The Island (1980) and Fletch (1985). He was married to Jimmie Brown and Georgina Tebrock. He died on 16 April 2001 in New York City, New York, USA.The Candidate- Director
- Producer
- Actor
Ted Demme was born on 26 October 1963 in New York City, New York, USA. He was a director and producer, known for Blow (2001), Beautiful Girls (1996) and A Decade Under the Influence (2003). He was married to Amanda Scheer-Demme. He died on 13 January 2002 in Santa Monica, California, USA.Life- Director
- Producer
- Writer
The son of Louis K. Sidney the vice president of M.G.M. and Hazel Mooney of The Mooney Sisters. In his teens he worked as studio messenger going through every department learning the techniques and secrets of the trade. In 1933 he was assigned to direct screen tests of Judy Garland, Robert Taylor and Janet Leigh then he was promoted to shorts and the 'Our Gang' comedies winning two Oscars.He was promoted to features in 1942 directing such as 'Annie Get Your Gun', 'Showboat' and 'Pal Joey'.Thousands Cheer
Anchors Aweigh
The Harvey Girls
The Three Musketeers
The Red Danube
Annie Get Your Gun
Show Boat
Young Bees
Kiss Me Kate
The Eddy Duchin Story
Pal Joey
Pepe
Bye Bye Birdie