Andrew Bergman

Andrew Bergman (born February 20, 1945) is an American screenwriter, film director, and novelist. New York magazine in 1985 dubbed him "The Unknown King of Comedy".

Education and career

Born to a Jewish family, Bergman graduated from Binghamton University and earned a Ph.D. in American history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His dissertation, a study of Depression-era Hollywood films, was published in 1971 by NYU Press under the title We're in the Money: Depression America and Its Films. He wrote James Cagney: The Pictorial Treasury of Film Stars.

Bergman wrote the original screenplay (titled Tex X) that served as the basis for Mel Brooks's classic Blazing Saddles (1974), and was among the co-writers who adapted it into its final state. Since then, he has written or co-written the films The In-Laws (1979) starring Peter Falk and Alan Arkin; Fletch (1985) starring Chevy Chase; and Soapdish (1991); written and directed : So Fine (1981) starring Ryan O'Neal; The Freshman (1990) starring Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick; Honeymoon in Vegas (1992) starring Nicolas Cage, James Caan and Sarah Jessica Parker ; and It Could Happen To You (1994) starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda; written and produced Striptease (1996) starring Demi Moore; and directed the Jacqueline Susann biopic Isn't She Great (2000) starring Bette Midler and Nathan Lane.

He has written four novels: The Big Kiss-Off of 1944, Hollywood and LeVine, Tender Is LeVine, and Sleepless Nights. He also wrote the Broadway comedy, Social Security, and Working Title.

The Andrew Bergman History Writing Prize is awarded by the University of Wisconsin.

Awards

In 2007, Bergman received the Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Lifetime Achievement in Writing from the Writers Guild of America.

Personal life

He lives in New York City with his wife. He has two grown sons.