William Broyles Jr.
Encyclopedia
William Dodson Broyles, Jr. (born October 8, 1944) is an American
screenwriter
, who has worked on the television series China Beach
, and the films Apollo 13
, Cast Away
, Entrapment
, Planet of the Apes
, Unfaithful, The Polar Express
, and Jarhead
. He also assisted in the screenplay of Saving Private Ryan
.
, the son of Elizabeth (née Bills) and William Dodson Broyles. He was raised in Baytown, Texas
and attended Rice University
, earning a B.A. in History
in 1966. While at Rice, Broyles was an active member of the student body and a contributing editor to the student newspaper, the Rice Thresher
. As early as 1966, Broyles was also contributing articles to the Houston Post
. Broyles served as president of the Rice student association during the 1965-1966 academic year, and was awarded the Hugh Scott Cameron award for outstanding community service. He has remained a strong supporter of the University throughout his career, delivering the commencement speech in 1983, and receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1993.
After graduating from Rice, Broyles studied as a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University where he earned an M.A. in Politics
, Philosophy
, and Economics
in 1968. While at Oxford, Broyles pursued his interests in both journalism
and public service
. He wrote political columns for the Oxford University magazine and contributed articles to The Economist
magazine of London
. He also spoke throughout England for the United States Information Service. He later worked briefly for Leo Kramer, Inc., a Washington, D.C. social sciences consulting firm as a consultant on Model Cities, Manpower, and VISTA training programs.
. Between 1969 and 1971, he rose to the rank of First Lieutenant and served in Vietnam
, first as an infantry commander, and later as an aide-de-camp to the Assistant Division Commander, 1st Marine Division. Due to his educational background and experience, his assigned duties included social issues with an emphasis on the refugees in the Quang Nam Province. Broyles received the Bronze Star
and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star.
Broyles's experiences in Vietnam inspired two of his most critically acclaimed projects. In 1984, he was one of the first veterans to return to Vietnam, and his book Brothers in Arms: A Journey from War to Peace, recounts his visit and his impressions of the aftermath of war on himself and his fellow soldiers, as well as on the country he fought against in battle. In 1988, Broyles once again drew upon his memories in Vietnam when he co-created the award-winning television series, China Beach
, a weekly drama for ABC
about the doctors and nurses stationed at an American military base in Danang.
in Annapolis before returning to Texas as Chief Public Relations Officer for the Houston Independent School District
. After a brief period of time in public service in Houston, Broyles was provided the opportunity to pursue his other primary interest, journalism. He became the founding editor of Texas Monthly
magazine in 1972.
Broyles's and Texas Monthly publisher Michael R. Levy
's goal was to create a magazine of national quality in Texas, and Broyles spent eight years doing just that. Within its first year, the publication won a National Magazine Award
for excellence; and during Broyles's tenure it quickly gained recognition as a “writer's magazine,” offering intelligent and entertaining articles on Texas life ranging from politics, culture, art, sports, the environment, social issues, and entertainment. The award-winning magazine continues today as an example of quality journalism with a regional focus and a national readership.
In 1980, Broyles and business partners, including Michael Levy, purchased New West magazine from Rupert Murdoch
. Broyles served as editor-in-chief of the magazine from 1980–1982, and saw it through its redesign and re-naming as California. By 1982, Broyles's impressive track record in the magazine publishing world had caught the attention of Katherine Graham who recruited him to serve as editor of Newsweek
magazine. He held that position from 1982-1984 when he resigned to pursue other interests.
During the next few years, Broyles made one more foray into the magazine publishing world, serving as editor-in-chief of Cable Guide
, but he focused primarily on developing his writing career. In addition to Brothers in Arms, he wrote a three-act play titled Boot, about three soldiers in a bunker in Vietnam joined by a new recruit that they nickname “Boot". The plot follows the four young men as they struggle to cope with the realities of war.
. In addition to co-creating the show with John Sacret Young
, Broyles also wrote or co-wrote several of the early episodes, and remained producer and creative consultant throughout the run of the show. In 1991, the Golden Globe-winning China Beach went off the air, but Broyles was well into production on his second television project, Under Cover, a political espionage series following the adventures of husband-and-wife secret service agents, Dylan and Kate Del’Amico. The series was short-lived, and Broyles next adapted the Nigel Hamilton
novel, J.F.K.
: Reckless Youth, for a 1993 television mini-series of the same name starring Patrick Dempsey
as the young future president.
Also in 1993, Broyles turned his attention from television projects to writing feature films. He shares his first screenwriting credit with former Texas Monthly writer, Al Reinert for Apollo 13
. The film, based loosely on the novel Lost Moon
, co-authored by astronaut Jim Lovell
and Jeffrey Kruger, was directed by Ron Howard
. It was met with both critical and box office success, and Broyles and Reinert were nominated for the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.
After Apollo 13, Broyles began work on Cast Away
, an original screenplay about a FedEx executive stranded on a deserted island. Released in 2000, the film was produced by Ron Howard
and Brian Grazer
, directed by Robert Zemeckis
, and it features Tom Hanks
as the resilient Chuck Noland. Apollo 13 and Cast Away secured Broyles's place as an A-list Hollywood screenwriter, and he holds writing credits on several other motion pictures including Entrapment
(1999), Planet of the Apes
(2001), Unfaithful (2002), The Polar Express
(2004), and Jarhead
(2005). Broyles continues to write, and he has recently begun his next feature film, Lost Shadows.
He currently lives and works in Wyoming.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, who has worked on the television series China Beach
China Beach
China Beach is an American dramatic television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. The title refers to My Khe beach in the city of Da Nang, Vietnam, which was nicknamed "China Beach" by unknown foreigners, most likely Americans...
, and the films Apollo 13
Apollo 13 (film)
Apollo 13 is a 1995 American drama film directed by Ron Howard. The film stars Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan and Ed Harris. The screenplay by William Broyles, Jr...
, Cast Away
Cast Away
Cast Away is a 2000 drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks as a FedEx employee stranded on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes in the South Pacific. The film depicts his successful attempts to survive on the island using remnants of his plane's cargo, as well as his...
, Entrapment
Entrapment (film)
Entrapment is a 1999 American caper film directed by Jon Amiel and starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones.-Plot:Virginia "Gin" Baker is an investigator for Waverly Insurance. Robert "Mac" MacDougal is an international art thief. A priceless Rembrandt painting is stolen from an office one...
, Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (2001 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 2001 American science fiction film, based on Pierre Boulle's novel and a remake of the 1968 film of the same name. Tim Burton directed the film, which stars Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, and Estella Warren. It tells the...
, Unfaithful, The Polar Express
The Polar Express (film)
The Polar Express is a 2004 motion capture computer-animated film based on the children's book of the same title by Chris Van Allsburg. Written, produced, and directed by Robert Zemeckis, the human characters in the film were animated using live action performance capture technique, with the...
, and Jarhead
Jarhead (film)
Jarhead is a 2005 biographical drama war film based on U.S. Marine Anthony Swofford's 1991 Gulf War memoir of the same name, directed by Sam Mendes, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Swofford with co-stars Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard, and Chris Cooper. The title comes from the slang term used to refer to...
. He also assisted in the screenplay of Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. It was directed by Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by Robert Rodat. The film is notable for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which depicts the Omaha Beach assault of June 6, 1944....
.
Early life
Broyles was born in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, the son of Elizabeth (née Bills) and William Dodson Broyles. He was raised in Baytown, Texas
Baytown, Texas
Baytown is a city within Harris County and partially in Chambers County in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. state of Texas. Located within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, it lies along both State Highway 146 and Interstate 10. As of 2010, Baytown had an population of 71,802...
and attended Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
, earning a B.A. in History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
in 1966. While at Rice, Broyles was an active member of the student body and a contributing editor to the student newspaper, the Rice Thresher
Rice Thresher
The Rice Thresher is the weekly, student-run newspaper of Rice University in Houston, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1916, the year of Rice University's first matriculation...
. As early as 1966, Broyles was also contributing articles to the Houston Post
Houston Post
The Houston Post was a newspaper that had its headquarters in Houston, Texas, United States. In 1995, the newspaper was absorbed into the Houston Chronicle.-History:The newspaper was established on February 19, 1880, by Gail Borden Johnson...
. Broyles served as president of the Rice student association during the 1965-1966 academic year, and was awarded the Hugh Scott Cameron award for outstanding community service. He has remained a strong supporter of the University throughout his career, delivering the commencement speech in 1983, and receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1993.
After graduating from Rice, Broyles studied as a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University where he earned an M.A. in Politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, and Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
in 1968. While at Oxford, Broyles pursued his interests in both journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and public service
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
. He wrote political columns for the Oxford University magazine and contributed articles to The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
magazine of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He also spoke throughout England for the United States Information Service. He later worked briefly for Leo Kramer, Inc., a Washington, D.C. social sciences consulting firm as a consultant on Model Cities, Manpower, and VISTA training programs.
Military career
In 1968, Broyles's career was put on hold when he was drafted into the United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. Between 1969 and 1971, he rose to the rank of First Lieutenant and served in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, first as an infantry commander, and later as an aide-de-camp to the Assistant Division Commander, 1st Marine Division. Due to his educational background and experience, his assigned duties included social issues with an emphasis on the refugees in the Quang Nam Province. Broyles received the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star.
Broyles's experiences in Vietnam inspired two of his most critically acclaimed projects. In 1984, he was one of the first veterans to return to Vietnam, and his book Brothers in Arms: A Journey from War to Peace, recounts his visit and his impressions of the aftermath of war on himself and his fellow soldiers, as well as on the country he fought against in battle. In 1988, Broyles once again drew upon his memories in Vietnam when he co-created the award-winning television series, China Beach
China Beach
China Beach is an American dramatic television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. The title refers to My Khe beach in the city of Da Nang, Vietnam, which was nicknamed "China Beach" by unknown foreigners, most likely Americans...
, a weekly drama for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
about the doctors and nurses stationed at an American military base in Danang.
Journalist
Upon returning from Vietnam in 1971, Broyles picked up his professional career. He taught Philosophy and Political Science at the United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in Annapolis before returning to Texas as Chief Public Relations Officer for the Houston Independent School District
Houston Independent School District
The Houston Independent School District is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States. Houston ISD serves as a community school district for most of the city of Houston and several nearby and insular municipalities...
. After a brief period of time in public service in Houston, Broyles was provided the opportunity to pursue his other primary interest, journalism. He became the founding editor of Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
magazine in 1972.
Broyles's and Texas Monthly publisher Michael R. Levy
Michael R. Levy
Michael R. Levy is the founder of Texas Monthly magazine, and was publisher until retirement in August 2008.A native of Dallas, Levy's father was a plumber. Levy once drove a taxi, and also worked as a jailer at the Dallas County Jail. He is a graduate of St...
's goal was to create a magazine of national quality in Texas, and Broyles spent eight years doing just that. Within its first year, the publication won a National Magazine Award
National Magazine Award
The National Magazine Awards are a series of US awards that honor excellence in the magazine industry. They are administered by the American Society of Magazine Editors and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City...
for excellence; and during Broyles's tenure it quickly gained recognition as a “writer's magazine,” offering intelligent and entertaining articles on Texas life ranging from politics, culture, art, sports, the environment, social issues, and entertainment. The award-winning magazine continues today as an example of quality journalism with a regional focus and a national readership.
In 1980, Broyles and business partners, including Michael Levy, purchased New West magazine from Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
. Broyles served as editor-in-chief of the magazine from 1980–1982, and saw it through its redesign and re-naming as California. By 1982, Broyles's impressive track record in the magazine publishing world had caught the attention of Katherine Graham who recruited him to serve as editor of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine. He held that position from 1982-1984 when he resigned to pursue other interests.
During the next few years, Broyles made one more foray into the magazine publishing world, serving as editor-in-chief of Cable Guide
Cable guide
A cable guide is a fitting or part of a bicycle frame which guides a piece of bare inner bowden cable around a corner. Most multi-speed bicycles have cable guides to get the derailleur cables past the bottom bracket....
, but he focused primarily on developing his writing career. In addition to Brothers in Arms, he wrote a three-act play titled Boot, about three soldiers in a bunker in Vietnam joined by a new recruit that they nickname “Boot". The plot follows the four young men as they struggle to cope with the realities of war.
Screenwriter
In 1988, Broyles found critical success with the television series China BeachChina Beach
China Beach is an American dramatic television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. The title refers to My Khe beach in the city of Da Nang, Vietnam, which was nicknamed "China Beach" by unknown foreigners, most likely Americans...
. In addition to co-creating the show with John Sacret Young
John Sacret Young
John Sacret Young is an author, producer, director, and screenwriter primarily in television. Young has been nominated for seven Emmys and seven Writers Guild of America Awards, winning two WGA Awards....
, Broyles also wrote or co-wrote several of the early episodes, and remained producer and creative consultant throughout the run of the show. In 1991, the Golden Globe-winning China Beach went off the air, but Broyles was well into production on his second television project, Under Cover, a political espionage series following the adventures of husband-and-wife secret service agents, Dylan and Kate Del’Amico. The series was short-lived, and Broyles next adapted the Nigel Hamilton
Nigel Hamilton
Sir Nigel Hamilton, KCB, DL was Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service until 2008.He became a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2008 New Year's Honours List....
novel, J.F.K.
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
: Reckless Youth, for a 1993 television mini-series of the same name starring Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Galen Dempsey is an American actor, known for his role as neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. Prior to Grey's Anatomy he made several television appearances and was nominated for an Emmy Award...
as the young future president.
Also in 1993, Broyles turned his attention from television projects to writing feature films. He shares his first screenwriting credit with former Texas Monthly writer, Al Reinert for Apollo 13
Apollo 13 (film)
Apollo 13 is a 1995 American drama film directed by Ron Howard. The film stars Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan and Ed Harris. The screenplay by William Broyles, Jr...
. The film, based loosely on the novel Lost Moon
Lost Moon
Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 , later re-named Apollo 13, is a book written by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger. It is about the failed Apollo 13 moon landing mission, of which Lovell was the commander...
, co-authored by astronaut Jim Lovell
Jim Lovell
James "Jim" Arthur Lovell, Jr., is a former NASA astronaut and a retired captain in the United States Navy, most famous as the commander of the Apollo 13 mission, which suffered a critical failure en route to the Moon but was brought back safely to Earth by the efforts of the crew and mission...
and Jeffrey Kruger, was directed by Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
. It was met with both critical and box office success, and Broyles and Reinert were nominated for the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.
After Apollo 13, Broyles began work on Cast Away
Cast Away
Cast Away is a 2000 drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks as a FedEx employee stranded on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes in the South Pacific. The film depicts his successful attempts to survive on the island using remnants of his plane's cargo, as well as his...
, an original screenplay about a FedEx executive stranded on a deserted island. Released in 2000, the film was produced by Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
and Brian Grazer
Brian Grazer
Brian Thomas Grazer is an Academy Award-winning American film and television producer who co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. Together they have produced many acclaimed films, including Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind .- Career :Brian Grazer began his career as a producer...
, directed by Robert Zemeckis
Robert Zemeckis
Robert Lee Zemeckis is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Zemeckis first came to public attention in the 1980s as the director of the comedic time-travel Back to the Future film series, as well as the Academy Award-winning live-action/animation epic Who Framed Roger Rabbit ,...
, and it features Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
as the resilient Chuck Noland. Apollo 13 and Cast Away secured Broyles's place as an A-list Hollywood screenwriter, and he holds writing credits on several other motion pictures including Entrapment
Entrapment (film)
Entrapment is a 1999 American caper film directed by Jon Amiel and starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones.-Plot:Virginia "Gin" Baker is an investigator for Waverly Insurance. Robert "Mac" MacDougal is an international art thief. A priceless Rembrandt painting is stolen from an office one...
(1999), Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (2001 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 2001 American science fiction film, based on Pierre Boulle's novel and a remake of the 1968 film of the same name. Tim Burton directed the film, which stars Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Paul Giamatti, and Estella Warren. It tells the...
(2001), Unfaithful (2002), The Polar Express
The Polar Express
The Polar Express is a 1985 children's book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, a former professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. It was adapted as an Oscar-nominated motion-capture film in 2004....
(2004), and Jarhead
Jarhead (film)
Jarhead is a 2005 biographical drama war film based on U.S. Marine Anthony Swofford's 1991 Gulf War memoir of the same name, directed by Sam Mendes, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Swofford with co-stars Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard, and Chris Cooper. The title comes from the slang term used to refer to...
(2005). Broyles continues to write, and he has recently begun his next feature film, Lost Shadows.
He currently lives and works in Wyoming.