Alain Robbe-Grillet and the Origins of Inception

We take a look back at screenwriter and novelist Alain Robbe-Grillet, whose 1961 art film Last Year At Marienbad bears a striking resemblance to blockbuster Inception.

Remembering Aaron Spelling on 90210 Day

On "90210 Day," we take a look back at the career of TV’s most successful producer.

Terry Southern, American Satirist

Here are 15 things to know about the man who helped script "Dr. Strangelove" and "Easy Rider."

Paddy Chayefsky, Keeping it Real

Paddy Chayefsky was the leading screenwriter during TV’s golden age and remains the only solo scribe to win three Academy awards. On his 88th birthday, we look back at his life and work.

The Tennessee Williams Revival

Playwright Tennessee Williams continues to inspire decades after his death.

Anita Loos, Screenwriting Pioneer

Born on this day in 1888, Anita Loos was among the most important screenwriters in American movie history. We look back at her influential career...

Michael Crichton's Hat Trick

In 1994 Michael Crichton became the only creative artist ever to have number one hits simultaneously on TV, in literature, and at the movies.

Rod Serling: The Twilight Man

Ingenious premises, twist endings, the uncanny – nobody did these better than The Twilight Zone and its creator, Rod Serling.

Nora Ephron, Box Office Gold

Ephron's movie comedies became contemporary classics thanks to their screenwriter's intelligence and wit...

Brownstein to Finish Ephron's Last Film Script

Nora Ephron is returning to the big screen, with a little help from Carrie Brownstein.

Colin Welland (1934 - 2015), Chariots of Fire screenwriter

Colin Welland, the Academy Award-winning English screenwriter of "Chariots of Fire," died Nov. 3 at 81.

Melissa Mathison (1950 - 2015)

Melissa Mathison, who was Oscar-nominated for original screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial” and also wrote “The Black Stallion,” died Wednesday in Los Angeles after an illness, her brother Dirk Mathison confirmed, according to Variety. She was 65.

Steve Shagan (1927 - 2015), Save the Tiger screenwriter

Steve Shagan, a novelist, producer and screenwriter known best for writing the screenplay for the 1973 film Save the Tiger, has died, according to multiple news reports. He was 88. Shagan died Nov. 30 at his Los Angeles home.

George Clayton Johnson (1929 - 2015)

George Clayton Johnson, the legendary science fiction author and screenwriter for "The Twilight Zone, "Star Trek" and many other television shows, died Christmas Day of cancer in Los Angeles, according to The Associated Press. He was 86.

Daniel Gerson (1966 - 2016)

Daniel Gerson, a screenwriter who co-wrote The Walt Disney Co.'s Academy Award-winning animated film "Big Hero 6," has died at his home in Los Angeles, according to multiple news sources. He was 49. His family released a statement announcing the death; he had brain cancer, according to Variety and The Associated Press. "Big Hero 6" won the Oscar last year for best animated feature. Robert L. Baird and Jordan Roberts also served as its co-writers. Gerson also voiced the film's police sergeant character.

Earl Hamner Jr. (1923 - 2016)

Earl Hamner Jr., the writer who created the long-running CBS television family series "The Waltons," has died, according to multiple news sources, including The Associated Press. He was 92. Hamner died of cancer Thursday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. "They broke the mold after they made him," his daughter Caroline said. Although Hamner is known best for creating "The Walton's," the Virginia-born writer also created the prime-time soap opera "Falcon Crest."

Michael Herr (1940 - 2016), acclaimed Vietnam War reporter

Michael Herr, whose reports from the front lines of the Vietnam War for a magazine were turned into his acclaimed nonfiction novel “Dispatches,” died June 23, 2016, according to multiple news sources. He was 76.

Hector Babenco (1946 - 2016), Kiss of the Spider Woman director

Hector Babenco, the director of “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” has died at the age of 70.

Curtis Hanson (1945–2016), 8 Mile filmmaker

Curtis Hanson, the Oscar-winning screenwriter who directed "8 Mile" and "L.A. Confidential."

William Peter Blatty (1928 - 2017), The Exorcist author

William Peter Blatty, the best-selling author and screenwriter who terrified readers and moviegoers with "The Exorcist," died Thursday, January 12, of multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. He was 89.

Jean Rouverol (1916 - 2017), blacklisted actress and screenwriter

Jean Rouverol, an actress and screenwriter who was blacklisted in Hollywood during the 1950s, died Friday, March 24, 2017, at the home of a care provider in Wingdale, New York, according to multiple news sources. She was 100.

Charlie Murphy (1959–2017), Chappelle's Show comedian

Charlie Murphy, a comedian known for his work on "Chappelle's Show" who was Eddie Murphy’s older brother, died Wednesday, April 12, 2017, of leukemia, according to multiple news sources. He was 57.

Written by Him and Her

We take a look back at successful writing partners who were also romantic partners.

Joseph Bologna (1934 - 2017), Oscar-nominated actor and screenwriter

Actor co-wrote the Oscar-nominated film “Lovers and Other Strangers”…

Janusz Glowacki (1938 - 2017), Antigone in New York playwright

Janusz Glowacki, the renowned Polish-born U.S. playwright and screenwriter whose “Antigone in New York” won a 1998 critics award, died Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, according to multiple news sources. He was 78.

Tobe Hooper (1943–2017)

Director of the iconic horror film “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

Frank Barron, the eclectic writing career of a Hollywood character

Frank Barron, who had a varied career as a writer in Hollywood, died Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, according to The Los Angeles Daily News. He was 98.

Hugh Wilson (1943–2018), creator of the classic sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati”

Directed and co-wrote the popular comedy “Police Academy”…

Jack Ketchum (1946–2018), master of the horror novel

Beloved author of “The Girl Next Door” and “The Lost.”

Steven Bochco (1943 - 2018), creator of "Hill Street Blues" and "NYPD Blue"

TV producer's hits also included "L.A. Law," "Doogie Howser M.D.," and more.

Neil Simon (1927–2018), “The Odd Couple” playwright

Neil Simon, one of the most popular and prolific playwrights and screenwriters of the second half of the 20th century, died Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018, of complications from pneumonia, according to his publicist Bill Evans as reported by CNN. He was 91.

Audrey Wells (1960–2018), screenwriter of “The Hate U Give”

Writer and director of “Under the Tuscan Sun.”

William Goldman (1931 – 2018), Academy Award-winning screenwriter

William Goldman, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969) and “All the President's Men” (1976), died Friday, Nov. 16, 2018 in Manhattan of colon cancer and pneumonia, according to multiple news sources. He was 87.

Gloria Katz (1942–2018), “American Graffiti” screenwriter

Script doctor for “Star Wars” who gave Princess Leia her strength.

Bob Einstein (1942–2019), “Super Dave” actor

Starred in “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

Eunetta Boone (1955–2019), showrunner who created "One on One"

Eunetta Boone was the creator of the UPN sitcom "One on One" and its spinoff "Cuts," as well as showrunner for the Disney Channel series "Raven's Home."

Terrance Dicks (1935–2019), beloved Doctor Who writer

Stories he crafted introduced the Time Lords, the Master, and the Fourth Doctor.

D.C. Fontana (1939–2019), pioneering “Star Trek” writer

She wrote the classic “Star Trek” episode “Journey to Babel.”

Buck Henry (1930–2020), classic SNL host & "The Graduate" writer

Buck Henry was an actor, director, and screenwriter who co-created “Get Smart” with Mel Brooks, was Oscar-nominated for his screenplay for “The Graduate” (1967) and hosted “Saturday Night Live” 10 times in the show’s early years. Henry co-directed “Heaven Can Wait” (1978) alongside Warren Beatty, earning another Academy Award nomination for Best Director.

Terry Jones (1942–2020), founding member of the Monty Python team

Terry Jones  was a founding member of the Monty Python comedy team, who brought absurd humor to the world with their “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” TV sketch show and several movies. Jones directed those films — “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “Monty Python’s Life of Brian,” and “Monty Python’s the Meaning of Life.” He appeared in them too, as well as in non-Python films including “Jabberwocky” and “L.A. Story.” It was Jones who was responsible for a key piece of the tone of “Flying Circus,” the show’s tendency to skip punchlines to sketches in favor of ending abruptly or wandering dreamily to a new story in a stream-of-consciousness way. Jones was also a medieval historian and an author of children’s books.

Jack Burns (1933–2020), comedy partner of George Carlin and Avery Schreiber

Jack Burns was a comedian and actor who was in popular comic duos with George Carlin and Avery Schreiber in the 1960s. Burns and Carlin had a popular album titled “Burns and Carlin: At the Playboy Club Tonight.” Burns and Schreiber were popular guests on TV variety shows. When Don Knotts left “The Andy Griffith Show” after season 5, Burns joined the cast as the inept deputy sheriff Warren. Barney Fife was a tough act to follow, and Burns's character was not popular with fans. He was fired midway through season 6. Later Burns was a head writer for “The Muppet Show” and co-wrote “The Muppet Movie.” He also appeared on the comedy sketch show “Fridays” and was a voice actor for many animation series.

Jane Milmore (1955–2020), screenwriter and producer for “Martin,” “The Hughleys”

Jane Milmore was a producer, screenwriter, and playwright whose TV credits include “Martin,” “The Wayans Brothers,” and “The Hughleys.” Milmore won a People’s Choice Award and an NAACP award for her work on “Martin,” as well as winning a Prism Award for her work on “The Hughleys.” She co-created the short-lived 1993 sitcom “Daddy Dearest,” starring Don Rickles and Richard Lewis. Other shows Milmore worked on with her longtime writing partner, Billy Van Zandt, include “Newhart,” “Suddenly Susan,” and “Yes, Dear.” Milmore and Van Zandt also wrote more than 20 plays together, including “You’ve Got Hate Mail” and “The Boomer Boys Musical,” and Milmore was an actress, appearing in her plays as well as in movies and TV shows.

James Lipton (1926–2020), host of “Inside the Actors Studio”

James Lipton was the longtime host of Bravo's popular interview program, “Inside the Actors Studio.” Lipton was also an actor with a recurring role on “Arrested Development” as well as other projects including voicing the Director in Disney’s animated film “Bolt.”

Lynn Shelton (1965–2020), “Little Fires Everywhere,” “Humpday” director

Lynn Shelton was a writer, director, and producer known for films including “Humpday” (2009), as well as for directing episodes of TV shows including “Little Fires Everywhere,” “Mad Men,” and “GLOW.”

Mary Pat Gleason (1950–2020), actress in “Guiding Light,” “Mom”

Mary Pat Gleason was an actress known for roles including Jane Horgan on “The Guiding Light” and Mary on “Mom.”

Jas Waters (1980–2020), writer for “This Is Us,” “Kidding”

Jas Waters was a writer who worked on TV shows including “This Is Us” and “Kidding,” as well as writing a column for Vibe magazine.

Carl Reiner (1922–2020), legendary comedy writer, director, and performer

Carl Reiner was a legendary comedy writer and performer who created "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and directed films including "The Jerk.”

Bettina Gilois (1961–2020), screenwriter of “Bessie,” “Glory Road”

Bettina Gilois was a screenwriter best known for her work on the HBO film “Bessie” and Disney’s “Glory Road.”

James Redford (1962–2020), filmmaker who was Robert Redford’s son

James Redford was a filmmaker known for documentaries including “The Kindness of Strangers,” and he was the son of actor and director Robert Redford.