Curated playlist
American television writers
- Stephen KingA minivan hit Stephen King on a Maine road in June 1999. A dog in the back distracted the driver.
- Simon KinbergSimon Kinberg plays a banker in his own script for Mr. & Mrs. Smith. He began that screenplay as a film school thesis.
- Greg EaglesGreg Eagles voiced Death as a Jamaican-accented scythe-carrier named Grim. He began in 2001 on Grim and Evil.
- Paul ZbyszewskiPaul Zbyszewski wrote both the first and the last episodes of his ABC series Day Break. The show ran only a short time.
- Woody AllenWoody Allen failed a film production course at New York University, then went on to direct Annie Hall.
- Adam SandlerAdam Sandler once made a Western comedy that critics almost universally panned. On the 6th of January 2016, Netflix announced that the film, The Ridiculous 6, had been watched more times in thirty days than any other movie in the service's…
- Stephen ColbertAt a 2006 dinner, Stephen Colbert roasted President Bush to a cold room. His show's ratings jumped 37% the next week.
- Ben StillerBen Stiller's films have grossed more than $2.6 billion in Canada and the United States, an average of $79 million per film. Behind that figure stands Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller, an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is known…
- Mel BrooksMel Brooks was 14 years old when he climbed onto a diving board at the Butler Lodge, a second-rate hotel in the Borscht Belt. He worked there as a pool-side tummler, an entertainer hired to keep the guests amused. On this day he wore a…
- Bryan BurkBryan Burk co-founded Bad Robot Productions with J. J. Abrams in 2001. He became its Executive Vice President.
- Ralph BakshiRalph Bakshi sold CBS a show it already owned. CBS had acquired the Terrytoons library in 1955 and forgotten it.
- Ken KeelerA Futurama episode contains a math theorem invented just so its plot could work. Writer Ken Keeler proved it.
- David LettermanDavid Letterman got fired from campus radio for treating classical music irreverently.
- Conan O'BrienConan O'Brien went from writing The Simpsons to hosting late night, and critics said he would fail.
- Pat ProftPat Proft helped write the Naked Gun films, yet his name is in none of their titles. He also worked on Police Academy.
- J. J. AbramsJ. J. Abrams wrote his first film score at age 16 for a horror movie. The 1982 low-budget film was called Nightbeast.
- Bill CosbyBill Cosby holds the record for the most Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album, with seven wins. To a vast television audience, he was also Cliff Huxtable, the father at the center of The Cosby Show. That role earned him a reputation as…
- Damon LindelofBefore writing professionally, Lost creator Damon Lindelof read other people's screenplays for film studios.
- Dean DevlinStargate, co-written by Dean Devlin in 1994, was the first movie to have a dedicated website.
- J. D. DillardJ. D. Dillard's father was the second African-American ever selected to fly for the Blue Angels.
- John SingletonAt 24, John Singleton became the first African American nominated for the Best Director Oscar.
- Jonathan KasdanJonathan Kasdan first appeared on screen in 1983, playing the son of Harold and Sarah in The Big Chill, a film made by his own father. Today his name appears in credits as a screenwriter, director, producer and actor. The path between…
- Tony GilroyTony Gilroy built Andor, and his brother Dan wrote its Emmy-winning episode.
- George R. R. MartinA chess craze helped save George R. R. Martin's writing career. Bobby Fischer's 1972 win got him a tournament job.
- Charlie KaufmanEvery company rejected Charlie Kaufman's script for Being John Malkovich. Spike Jonze later agreed to direct it.
- Dave FiloniDave Filoni thought George Lucas's job offer was a prank. He later became president of Lucasfilm.
- Lorne MichaelsLorne Michaels once offered The Beatles $3,000 to reunite on live TV. It came in Saturday Night Live's first season.
- Gillian AndersonGillian Anderson was arrested on her graduation night. She had broken into her own high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, hoping to glue the locks of its doors shut. Her classmates had voted her "class clown," "most bizarre girl" and "most…
- Joss WhedonJoss Whedon earned more from a web musical than from directing The Avengers.
- David X. CohenDavid X. Cohen has a middle initial that stands for nothing at all. He is an American television writer, and his name appears on episodes of both The Simpsons and Futurama. Those two shows sit at the center of a career that began somewhere…
- Carl MacekCarl Macek's rewrites of anime angered many fans of the original Japanese shows. Fans still split over his work.
- The Duffer BrothersThe Duffer Brothers turned down Florida State's film school because it would not let the twins study together.
- James MangoldJames Mangold studied acting because his CalArts teacher urged him to. It gave him a feel for performance.
- Jonathan TropperJonathan Tropper built the series Warrior from an original idea left behind by Bruce Lee.
- Jon FavreauJon Favreau named his company after the golem of Jewish folklore. It can protect or destroy, like technology.
- Beau WillimonBeau Willimon says he was the worst student in his Columbia playwriting class. He later created House of Cards.
- James KahnEmergency doctor James Kahn played the doctor who pronounces E.T. dead. He had advised on reviving an alien.