Steve Shagan
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Biography
TV writer and producer who earned an Academy Award nomination for his first produced screenplay, the well-received melodrama, "Save the Tiger" (1973), which starred Jack Lemmon in a tale of mobsters and reality in the garment business. Shagan is also known for the star-laden holocaust drama, "Voyage of the Damned" (1976)--which earned him a second Oscar nomination--and the Marlon Brando/George C. Scott vehicle, "The Formula" (1980).
Shagan worked as an RCA technician at Cape Canaveral (before the first space launch) and a film technician in New York and a grip in Hollywood before joining Paramount as a publicist's assistant in 1962. But, by 1966, he was a full-fledged producer in charge of the smooth flow of the "Tarzan" series. He moved into TV-movies in 1968, and during the next few years produced such efforts as "Sole Survivor" (CBS, 1970), about the crashed crew of a plane haunting the surviving member. In 1971, Shagan produced "River of Mystery" (NBC), in which Vic Morrow has a jungle adventure. Although Shagan had some background doing advertising copywriting and had written and directed the short film "One Every Second" in the 50s, he did not attempt to actually write screenplays or teleplays as an avocation until the early 70s. He produced and wrote the TV-movie "A Step Out of Line" (CBS,1971), in which Korean War buddies try to pull off a bank heist. As he moved into features, his TV work became more sporadic. He wrote and was executive producer of "The House on Garibaldi Street" (ABC, 1979), a well-received TV-movie about the Israeli capture of Adolf Eichmann.
Shagan moved into motion pictures in 1973 when his screenplay, "Save the Tiger" was produced. He served as executive producer on the Burt Reynolds' vehicle "W. W. and the Dixie Dancekings" (1975), and wrote the screenplay of "Hustle" (also 1975) for Reynolds, which was based on Shagan's novel "City of Angels." By 1976, Shagan was in the top rung of screenwriters, yet few of his subsequent screenplays were produced. He adapted another of his novels, "The Formula" in 1980, but it was seven years before another of his scripts was produced: "The Sicilian" (1987), based on the Mario Puzo novel. In 1996, he scored on both the big screen and TV. Shagan wrote the screenplay for "Primal Fear," in which Richard Gere starred as a slick defense attorney who handles a case that brings more intrigue and surprises than he bargained for. Shagan also wrote the HBO biopic "Gotti."
Filmography
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Life Events
1959
Moved to Hollywood, worked as grip, stagehand
1962
Worked in publicity at Paramount Pictures
1966
Produced "Tarzan" TV show
1968
Began producing TV-movies
1971
Produced TV-movie, "River of Mystery"; wrote and produced, "A Step Out of Line"
1973
Wrote and produced first feature, "Save the Tiger"
1974
Executive produced feature "W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings"
1979
Wrote and executive produced "The House on Garibaldi Street"
1987
Adapted the Mario Puzo novel, "The Scillian" for the screen
1996
Co-wrote the screenplay adaptation of "Primal Fear"
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