Robert Kamen
Biography
Biography
With a career spanning more than 30 years, screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen is the creator behind such classic films as "Taps" and "The Karate Kid." Born in the Bronx, Kamen made his first foray into feature writing with "Taps," the military academy drama that gave early starring roles to Tom Cruise and Sean Penn. Drawing on his own martial arts studies, Kamen penned the blockbuster "The Karate Kid," another star-making vehicle, this time for Ralph Macchio, which spawned sequels and a TV series. Subsequent works included another action sequel, "Lethal Weapon 3," and a romance featuring Keanu Reeves, "A Walk in the Clouds." In the mid '90s, Kamen worked in the studio system as a self-proclaimed "script assassin," executing uncredited rewrites that tampered with other screenwriters' original ideas. Eager to leave the confines of that world, he struck up a collaborative relationship with French writer-producer-director Luc Besson, beginning with the Bruce Willis science fiction adventure, "The Fifth Element." The team went on to other action fare such as "The Transporter" and its sequels and the Liam Neeson kidnapping drama, "Taken."
Filmography
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Life Events
1981
Feature writing debut, "Taps"; co-wrote film based on novel by Devery Freeman
1984
Wrote screenplay and created characters for "The Karate Kid," directed by John G. Avildsen and starring Ralph Macchio
1986
Re-teamed with director Avildsen, and stars Macchio and Pat Morita for sequels "The Karate Kid, Part II" (1986) and "The Karate Kid, Part III" (1989)
1989
Made film producing debut with "The Punisher," starring Dolph Lundgren and Louis Gossett Jr.
1992
Co-wrote action sport drama "Gladiator" and wrote screenplay for "Lethal Weapon 3"
1994
Credited for creating characters in "The Next Karate Kid," starring Hilary Swank and Pat Morita
1997
Co-wrote screenplay with director Luc Besson for "The Fifith Element"
2002
Co-wrote action hit "The Transporter" with Besson
2003
Created and produced The WB series "Black Sash"
2005
Returned as co-writer of "Transporter 2"
2008
Re-teamed with Besson to co-write action thriller "Taken," directed by Pierre Morel and starring Liam Neeson
2008
First film with director Olivier Megaton, "Transporter 3"
2010
Revived "The Karate Kid" with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith
2011
Re-teamed with director Megaton and co-writer Besson for "Colombiana"
2012
Co-wrote action sequel "Taken 2" with Besson; film directed by Megaton and starring Neeson
