Lawrence Kasdan
(1949 - )
Lawrence Kasdan (born 14 January 1949) is an Jewish-American movie producer, director and screenwriter.
After working as a freelance advertising copywriter Kasdan's introduction into the film business was in 1975/6 when he sold his script for The Bodyguard to Warner Bros. as a vehicle for Diana Ross. The script became stuck in Development Hell and became known as the best un-made film in Hollywood. While waiting to still waiting to get the film producedGeorge Lucas commissioned Kasdan in 1979 to complete the screenplay for The Empire Strikes Back after the death of Leigh Brackett. Lucas commissioned Kasdan to write the screenplay for Raiders of the Lost Ark and the last of installments of the Star Wars trilogy Return of the Jedi. He made his directing debut with Body Heat in 1981.
He is a graduate of the University of Michigan. He is the father of director Jake Kasdan.
Kasdan made a cameo appearance in James L. Brooks' comedy As Good As It Gets as the fed up psychiatrist of Jack Nicholson's novelist.
His credits include:
* Dreamcatcher (2003) (writer, director)
* Mumford (1999) (writer, director)
* French Kiss (1995) (director)
* Wyatt Earp (1994) (director, writer and producer)
* The Bodyguard (1992) (writer and producer)
* Grand Canyon (1991) (writer, director, and producer)
* The Accidental Tourist (1988) (writer, director, and producer)
* Silverado (1985) (writer, director, and producer)
* The Big Chill (1983) (writer, director, and executive producer)
* Return of the Jedi (1983) (writer)
* Continental Divide (1981) (writer)
* Body Heat (1981) (director and writer)
* Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) (writer)
* The Empire Strikes Back (1980) (writer)
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