Bruno Heller
Encyclopedia
Bruno Heller is an English screenwriter. His most notable works are the television series Rome
(HBO) and The Mentalist
(CBS
).
. The son of Lukas Heller
and Caroline Carter, Heller credits his father's success with likely keeping him from becoming a writer for many years.
Before venturing into his writing career, Bruno Heller graduated from The University of Sussex
in Brighton
, and spent years working various film jobs, eventually becoming a successful boom operator
.
Heller would make his screenwriting debut on the 1994 Portuguese
film PAX, which starred Amanda Plummer. Following the European release of PAX, Heller would move to Los Angeles in 1997. Bruno then began work on two television projects for the USA Network
: Touching Evil
and The Huntress
, before co-creating the HBO series Rome
. He is now working on the CBS program, The Mentalist
, which he created, and is now writing.
, co-produced by HBO and the BBC
, which Heller created along with John Milius
and William J. MacDonald. In addition to creating the series, Heller is also an executive producer and head writer, penning a total of 11 episodes for the series, including the pilot episode.
The series primarily chronicles the lives and deeds of the rich, powerful, and "historically significant", yet it also focuses on the lives, fortunes, families, and acquaintances of two common men: Lucius Vorenus
and Titus Pullo
, two Roman soldiers mentioned historically in Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico
. The fictionalised Vorenus and Pullo manage to witness and often influence many of the historical events presented in the series.
In 2008, Heller created the hit CBS
television series, The Mentalist
. The show stars Simon Baker
as Patrick Jane
, the series protagonist
and the titular mentalist
of the show. He currently serves as executive producer and head writer for the show. On 7 January 2009, the show won the award for "Favorite New TV Drama" at the 35th People's Choice Awards
and since then, Simon Baker has received several nominations for his portrayal of the lead character, Patrick Jane.
The Mentalist follows Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, an independent consultant
for the now-defunct California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) based in Sacramento, California
. He has a remarkable track record for solving serious crimes by using his amazing skills of observation. Jane also makes frequent use of his mentalist
abilities and his semi-celebrity past as a psychic medium using paranormal abilities he now admits he feigned. He abandoned his pretense out of remorse when his attention-seeking behaviour attracted the attention of a serial killer
who killed his wife and daughter.
Rome (TV series)
Rome is a British-American–Italian historical drama television series created by Bruno Heller, John Milius and William J. MacDonald. The show's two seasons premiered in 2005 and 2007, and were later released on DVD. Rome is set in the 1st century BC, during Ancient Rome's transition from Republic...
(HBO) and The Mentalist
The Mentalist
The Mentalist is an American police procedural television series which debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS. The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also the show's executive producer...
(CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
).
Life and career
Heller was born and raised in London, England with three siblings, one of whom is the novelist Zoë HellerZoë Heller
Zoë Kate Hinde Heller is an English journalist and novelist.-Early life:Heller was born in North London as the youngest of four children of German-Jewish immigrant Lukas Heller, who was a successful screenwriter. Her mother was instrumental in keeping up the Labour Party's "Save London Transport...
. The son of Lukas Heller
Lukas Heller
Lukas Heller was a German screenwriter born in Kiel. He won an Edgar Award for Best Motion Picture for Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte .He was father to British writers Bruno and Zoë Heller.-Filmography:*The Dirty Dozen...
and Caroline Carter, Heller credits his father's success with likely keeping him from becoming a writer for many years.
Before venturing into his writing career, Bruno Heller graduated from The University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, and spent years working various film jobs, eventually becoming a successful boom operator
Boom operator (media)
A Boom operator is an assistant of the production sound mixer. The principal responsibility of the boom operator is microphone placement, sometimes using a "fishpole" with a microphone attached to the end and sometimes, when the situation permits, using a "boom" which is a more intricate and...
.
Heller would make his screenwriting debut on the 1994 Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
film PAX, which starred Amanda Plummer. Following the European release of PAX, Heller would move to Los Angeles in 1997. Bruno then began work on two television projects for the USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
: Touching Evil
Touching Evil
Touching Evil is a British television drama serial, which began airing in 1997. It was produced by United Productions for Anglia Television, and screened on the ITV network. The first series consisted of six fifty-minute episodes. It was created by Paul Abbott, and written by Abbott with Russell T...
and The Huntress
The Huntress (TV series)
The Huntress is an American TV series that appeared on the USA Network over subsequent summers of the 2000 and 2001 television seasons. It was inspired by a book about the real bounty hunter, Dottie Thorson, and is also a belated sequel to the 1980 Steve McQueen film, The Hunter.-Cast:*Annette...
, before co-creating the HBO series Rome
Rome (TV series)
Rome is a British-American–Italian historical drama television series created by Bruno Heller, John Milius and William J. MacDonald. The show's two seasons premiered in 2005 and 2007, and were later released on DVD. Rome is set in the 1st century BC, during Ancient Rome's transition from Republic...
. He is now working on the CBS program, The Mentalist
The Mentalist
The Mentalist is an American police procedural television series which debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS. The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also the show's executive producer...
, which he created, and is now writing.
Personal life
In 1993, Heller married Miranda Phillips Cowley, a Senior Vice President at HBO. Together they have two sons and currently reside in Los Angeles.Rome
Heller is probably most associated with the television series RomeRome (TV series)
Rome is a British-American–Italian historical drama television series created by Bruno Heller, John Milius and William J. MacDonald. The show's two seasons premiered in 2005 and 2007, and were later released on DVD. Rome is set in the 1st century BC, during Ancient Rome's transition from Republic...
, co-produced by HBO and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, which Heller created along with John Milius
John Milius
John Frederick Milius is an American screenwriter, director, and producer of motion pictures.-Early life:Milius was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Elizabeth and William Styx Milius, who was a shoe manufacturer. Milius attempted to join the Marine Corps in the late 1960s, but was rejected...
and William J. MacDonald. In addition to creating the series, Heller is also an executive producer and head writer, penning a total of 11 episodes for the series, including the pilot episode.
The series primarily chronicles the lives and deeds of the rich, powerful, and "historically significant", yet it also focuses on the lives, fortunes, families, and acquaintances of two common men: Lucius Vorenus
Lucius Vorenus (character of Rome)
Lucius Vorenus is a semi-fictional character in the British-Italian-American historical drama television series Rome, a show about the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Played by Scottish actor Kevin McKidd in the series, Lucius Vorenus is introduced as a main character...
and Titus Pullo
Titus Pullo (character of Rome)
Titus Pullo is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC original television series Rome, played by Ray Stevenson. He is depicted as a hedonistic, devil-may-care soldier who discovers hidden ideals and integrity within himself...
, two Roman soldiers mentioned historically in Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. In it Caesar describes the battles and intrigues that took place in the nine years he spent fighting local armies in Gaul that opposed Roman domination.The "Gaul" that Caesar...
. The fictionalised Vorenus and Pullo manage to witness and often influence many of the historical events presented in the series.
Season 1
- "The Stolen Eagle" (pilot)
- "How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic"
- "An Owl in a Thornbush"
- "Stealing from Saturn"
- "The Ram has Touched the Wall"
- "Egeria" (with John MiliusJohn MiliusJohn Frederick Milius is an American screenwriter, director, and producer of motion pictures.-Early life:Milius was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Elizabeth and William Styx Milius, who was a shoe manufacturer. Milius attempted to join the Marine Corps in the late 1960s, but was rejected...
) - "The Spoils"
- "Kalends of February"
Season 2
- "PassoverPassover (Rome)"Passover" is the first episode of the second season of the television series Rome and is an Emmy Award winner in the category Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series photographed by Alik Sakharov, A.S.C.-Plot summary:...
" - "Son of HadesSon of Hades"Son of Hades" is the second episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:With Erastes Fulmen gone, the Aventine is up for grabs, and rival gangs have taken to the streets in a struggle for control, stabbing each other in the open markets.Having surrendered to his grief,...
" - "De Patre Vostro (About Your Father)De Patre Vostro (About Your Father)"De Patre Vostro" is the tenth and final episode of the second season of the television series Rome. It originally aired on March 25, 2007....
"
The Mentalist
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television series, The Mentalist
The Mentalist
The Mentalist is an American police procedural television series which debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS. The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also the show's executive producer...
. The show stars Simon Baker
Simon Baker
Simon Baker is an Australian actor. Since 2008, he has starred in the CBS television series The Mentalist.-Early life:...
as Patrick Jane
Patrick Jane
Patrick Jane is the protagonist on the CBS crime drama The Mentalist, portrayed by Simon Baker. Jane is a consultant for a fictionalized version of the California Bureau of Investigation and helps by giving advice and insight from his many years as a fake psychic medium...
, the series protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
and the titular mentalist
Mentalism
Mentalism is a performing art in which its practitioners, known as mentalists, appear to demonstrate highly developed mental or intuitive abilities. Performances may appear to include telepathy, clairvoyance, divination, precognition, psychokinesis, mediumship, mind control, memory feats and rapid...
of the show. He currently serves as executive producer and head writer for the show. On 7 January 2009, the show won the award for "Favorite New TV Drama" at the 35th People's Choice Awards
35th People's Choice Awards
The 35th People's Choice Awards, honoring the best in popular culture for 2008, was held on January 7, 2009 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. They were hosted by Queen Latifah in her third straight year as host, and was broadcast on CBS...
and since then, Simon Baker has received several nominations for his portrayal of the lead character, Patrick Jane.
The Mentalist follows Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, an independent consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
for the now-defunct California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) based in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. He has a remarkable track record for solving serious crimes by using his amazing skills of observation. Jane also makes frequent use of his mentalist
Mentalism
Mentalism is a performing art in which its practitioners, known as mentalists, appear to demonstrate highly developed mental or intuitive abilities. Performances may appear to include telepathy, clairvoyance, divination, precognition, psychokinesis, mediumship, mind control, memory feats and rapid...
abilities and his semi-celebrity past as a psychic medium using paranormal abilities he now admits he feigned. He abandoned his pretense out of remorse when his attention-seeking behaviour attracted the attention of a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
who killed his wife and daughter.
Season 1
- "PilotThe Mentalist (season 1)The first season of The Mentalist premiered on September 23, 2008 and concluded on May 19, 2009. It consisted of 23 episodes.- Main cast :* Simon Baker as Patrick Jane* Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon* Tim Kang as Kimball Cho...
" - "Red Hair and Silver TapeThe Mentalist (season 1)The first season of The Mentalist premiered on September 23, 2008 and concluded on May 19, 2009. It consisted of 23 episodes.- Main cast :* Simon Baker as Patrick Jane* Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon* Tim Kang as Kimball Cho...
" - "Red John's FriendsThe Mentalist (season 1)The first season of The Mentalist premiered on September 23, 2008 and concluded on May 19, 2009. It consisted of 23 episodes.- Main cast :* Simon Baker as Patrick Jane* Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon* Tim Kang as Kimball Cho...
" - "Carnelian, Inc.The Mentalist (season 1)The first season of The Mentalist premiered on September 23, 2008 and concluded on May 19, 2009. It consisted of 23 episodes.- Main cast :* Simon Baker as Patrick Jane* Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon* Tim Kang as Kimball Cho...
" - "Red John's FootstepsThe Mentalist (season 1)The first season of The Mentalist premiered on September 23, 2008 and concluded on May 19, 2009. It consisted of 23 episodes.- Main cast :* Simon Baker as Patrick Jane* Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon* Tim Kang as Kimball Cho...
"
Season 2
- "RedemptionThe Mentalist (season 2)The second season of The Mentalist premiered on September 24, 2009 and concluded in May 2010. It consists of 23 episodes. CBS moved the show from Tuesdays at 9/8c to Thursdays at 10/9c, after CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
" - "Black Gold and Red BloodThe Mentalist (season 2)The second season of The Mentalist premiered on September 24, 2009 and concluded in May 2010. It consists of 23 episodes. CBS moved the show from Tuesdays at 9/8c to Thursdays at 10/9c, after CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
" - "Code RedThe Mentalist (season 2)The second season of The Mentalist premiered on September 24, 2009 and concluded in May 2010. It consists of 23 episodes. CBS moved the show from Tuesdays at 9/8c to Thursdays at 10/9c, after CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
" - "Red Sky in the MorningThe Mentalist (season 2)The second season of The Mentalist premiered on September 24, 2009 and concluded in May 2010. It consists of 23 episodes. CBS moved the show from Tuesdays at 9/8c to Thursdays at 10/9c, after CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
"
Season 3
- "Red Sky at NightThe Mentalist (season 3)The third season of The Mentalist premiered on September 23, 2010.- Main cast :* Simon Baker as Patrick Jane* Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon* Tim Kang as Kimball Cho* Owain Yeoman as Wayne Rigsby* Amanda Righetti as Grace Van Pelt- Recurring cast :...
" - "Red MoonThe Mentalist (season 3)The third season of The Mentalist premiered on September 23, 2010.- Main cast :* Simon Baker as Patrick Jane* Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon* Tim Kang as Kimball Cho* Owain Yeoman as Wayne Rigsby* Amanda Righetti as Grace Van Pelt- Recurring cast :...
" - "Strawberries & Cream (Part 2)The Mentalist (season 3)The third season of The Mentalist premiered on September 23, 2010.- Main cast :* Simon Baker as Patrick Jane* Robin Tunney as Teresa Lisbon* Tim Kang as Kimball Cho* Owain Yeoman as Wayne Rigsby* Amanda Righetti as Grace Van Pelt- Recurring cast :...
"
External links
- Bernhard, Lisa. "‘Mentalist’ Is a Hit, but Who Can See Into Its Future?", The New York Times, 28 November 2008