Marshall Herskovitz
Encyclopedia
Marshall Schreiber Herskovitz (born February 23, 1952) is an American
film director
, writer
and producer
, and currently the President Emeritus of the Producers Guild of America
. Among his productions are Traffic
, The Last Samurai
, Blood Diamond
, and I Am Sam
. Herskovitz has directed two feature films, Jack the Bear
and Dangerous Beauty
. Herskovitz was a creator and executive producer of the television shows Thirtysomething, My So-Called Life
, and Once and Again
, and also wrote and directed several episodes of all three series.
, graduating in 1973. He entered the AFI Conservatory
in 1975, where he and Edward Zwick
first met. He frequently collaborates with Zwick, with whom he runs the film and television production company The Bedford Falls Company, named for the fictional town in the classic film It's A Wonderful Life
. Their most recent project is the film "Love and Other Drugs".
In 2007 Herskovitz ventured into the world of broadband production with the original series Quarterlife
, which debuted on MySpace
and a dedicated social network also called "quarterlife". It garnered enough views to be picked up by NBC
and aired in 2008, but was quickly canceled.
Since May 2005, he has been a contributing blog
ger at The Huffington Post
. Herskovitz was featured in The Dialogue interview series. In this 90-minute interview with journalist Jay A. Fernandez, he delves into the mediocrity of the industry, the voices that writers hear in their heads and why it’s best to write first and ask questions later.
Herskovitz served as president of the Producers Guild of America from 2006-2010.
He was married to screenwriter Susan Shilliday from 1981-1993. They have two daughters.
. The show also received the Best Drama Series award at the Golden Globes
that year. Herskovitz himself was honored by both the Writers Guild
and Directors Guild for his work on the series.
Traffic was nominated for Best Picture at the 73rd Academy Awards
in 2001.
Once and Again was nominated for Best Drama Series of 1999 at the Golden Globes
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, and currently the President Emeritus of the Producers Guild of America
Producers Guild of America
Producers Guild of America is a trade organization representing television producers, film producers and New Media producers in the United States. The PGA's membership includes over 4,700 members of the producing establishment worldwide...
. Among his productions are Traffic
Traffic (2000 film)
Traffic is a 2000 American crime drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Stephen Gaghan. It explores the illegal drug trade from a number of perspectives: a user, an enforcer, a politician and a trafficker. Their stories are edited together throughout the film, although some of the...
, The Last Samurai
The Last Samurai
The Last Samurai is a 2003 American epic drama film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay based on a story by John Logan. The film was inspired by a project developed by writer and director Vincent Ward, who had previously filmed the movie in 1990, starring...
, Blood Diamond
Blood Diamond (film)
Blood Diamond is a 2006 political thriller film co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou...
, and I Am Sam
I Am Sam
I Am Sam is a 2001 American drama film written and directed by Jessie Nelson, and starring Sean Penn as a father with a developmental disability, Dakota Fanning as his inquisitive seven-year-old daughter, and Michelle Pfeiffer as his lawyer...
. Herskovitz has directed two feature films, Jack the Bear
Jack the Bear
Jack the Bear is a 1993 American drama film directed by Marshall Herskovitz, written by Steven Zaillian based on the novel by Dan McCall, and starring Danny DeVito.-Plot:...
and Dangerous Beauty
Dangerous Beauty
Dangerous Beauty is a biographical drama film directed by Marshall Herskovitz. It is adapted from the non-fiction book The Honest Courtesan, by Margaret Rosenthal, , about the life of Veronica Franco , a courtesan in 16th century Venice.A stage musical version of the film premiered on July 25,...
. Herskovitz was a creator and executive producer of the television shows Thirtysomething, My So-Called Life
My So-Called Life
My So-Called Life is an American teen drama television series created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. It originally aired on ABC from August 25, 1994, to January 26, 1995 and was distributed by The Bedford Falls Company with ABC Productions. Set at the...
, and Once and Again
Once and Again
Once and Again is an American television series that aired on ABC from September 21, 1999 to April 15, 2002. It depicts the family of a single mother and her romance with a single father...
, and also wrote and directed several episodes of all three series.
Life and career
Herskovitz was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Frieda (née Schreiber) and Alexander Herskovitz. Herskovitz attended Brandeis UniversityBrandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
, graduating in 1973. He entered the AFI Conservatory
AFI Conservatory
The AFI Conservatory is a division of the American Film Institute founded in 1969, located in Hollywood's Griffith Park. The school is the only existing Master of Fine Arts conservatory in advanced film education...
in 1975, where he and Edward Zwick
Edward Zwick
Edward M. Zwick is an American filmmaker and film producer noted for his epic films about social and racial issues. He has been described as a "throwback to an earlier era, an extremely cerebral director whose movies consistently feature fully rounded characters, difficult moral issues, and plots...
first met. He frequently collaborates with Zwick, with whom he runs the film and television production company The Bedford Falls Company, named for the fictional town in the classic film It's A Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern....
. Their most recent project is the film "Love and Other Drugs".
In 2007 Herskovitz ventured into the world of broadband production with the original series Quarterlife
Quarterlife
Quarterlife is an American web series, also briefly an NBC television series, created by Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick, the creators of Thirtysomething and Once and Again, and producers of My So-Called Life...
, which debuted on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
and a dedicated social network also called "quarterlife". It garnered enough views to be picked up by NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and aired in 2008, but was quickly canceled.
Since May 2005, he has been a contributing blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ger at The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
. Herskovitz was featured in The Dialogue interview series. In this 90-minute interview with journalist Jay A. Fernandez, he delves into the mediocrity of the industry, the voices that writers hear in their heads and why it’s best to write first and ask questions later.
Herskovitz served as president of the Producers Guild of America from 2006-2010.
He was married to screenwriter Susan Shilliday from 1981-1993. They have two daughters.
Awards
Thirtysomething won numerous Emmy Awards including Outstanding Drama series in 1988. That year it also won Outstanding Writing in a Drama series for an episode that Herskovitz co-wrote with Paul HaggisPaul Haggis
Paul Edward Haggis is a Canadian screenwriter, producer, and director. He spent his early career producing and directing various American and Canadian television network series.-Early life and education:...
. The show also received the Best Drama Series award at the Golden Globes
46th Golden Globe Awards
The 46th Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1988, were held on January 28, 1989.-Best Actor - Drama:Dustin Hoffman - Rain Man*Gene Hackman - Mississippi Burning*Tom Hulce - Dominick and Eugene...
that year. Herskovitz himself was honored by both the Writers Guild
Writers Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
and Directors Guild for his work on the series.
Traffic was nominated for Best Picture at the 73rd Academy Awards
73rd Academy Awards
The 73rd Academy Awards honored the best films of 2000 and was held on March 25, 2001. It was the last Academy Awards to take place at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium...
in 2001.
Once and Again was nominated for Best Drama Series of 1999 at the Golden Globes
57th Golden Globe Awards
----Picture - Drama: American Beauty ----Picture - Musical or Comedy: Toy Story 2 ----TV Series - Drama: The Sopranos ----TV Series - Musical or Comedy: Sex and the City ...
.
External links
- Art Film Talk #23 Marshall Herskovitz – Interview about QuarterlifeQuarterlifeQuarterlife is an American web series, also briefly an NBC television series, created by Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick, the creators of Thirtysomething and Once and Again, and producers of My So-Called Life...
, November 30, 2007 (audio)