Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American
director, screenwriter, and producer. He is the co-writer of the Star
Wars films The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983),
The Force Awakens (2015), and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). Kasdan
also co-wrote the Indiana Jones film Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
and is the writer-director of Body Heat (1981), The Big Chill (1983),
and The Accidental Tourist (1988). Kasdan is known for updating old
Hollywood genresâ€"film noir, science-fiction, westernsâ€"in a
classical dramatic style with quick-witted dialogue, but dealing with
contemporary social themes. As a director, Kasdan has made various
personal films that examine characters and generations.He has been
nominated for four Academy Awards: as a producer for Best Picture
nominee The Accidental Tourist, for which he was also nominated for
Best Adapted Screenplay, and for Best Original Screenplay for both The
Big Chill and Grand Canyon (1991). He has often collaborated with his
wife, Meg Kasdan, his brother, Mark Kasdan, and his two sons: Jonathan
Kasdan and Jake Kasdan. He frequently casts Kevin Kline and William
Hurt in his films.Kasdan was born in Miami Beach, Florida, the son of
Jewish parents Sylvia Sarah (née Landau), an employment counselor,
and Clarence Norman Kasdan, who worked in his brother-in-law's
electronics store. His older brother is Mark Kasdan, who co-wrote
Silverado (1985) and produced Dreamcatcher (2003), and he has two
sisters. Kasdan grew up in Morgantown, West Virginia. "I felt very
fortunate to have had a regular American childhood in the fifties," he
said. "It was a safe place, where you owned the town if you had a
bicycle."
director, screenwriter, and producer. He is the co-writer of the Star
Wars films The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983),
The Force Awakens (2015), and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). Kasdan
also co-wrote the Indiana Jones film Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
and is the writer-director of Body Heat (1981), The Big Chill (1983),
and The Accidental Tourist (1988). Kasdan is known for updating old
Hollywood genresâ€"film noir, science-fiction, westernsâ€"in a
classical dramatic style with quick-witted dialogue, but dealing with
contemporary social themes. As a director, Kasdan has made various
personal films that examine characters and generations.He has been
nominated for four Academy Awards: as a producer for Best Picture
nominee The Accidental Tourist, for which he was also nominated for
Best Adapted Screenplay, and for Best Original Screenplay for both The
Big Chill and Grand Canyon (1991). He has often collaborated with his
wife, Meg Kasdan, his brother, Mark Kasdan, and his two sons: Jonathan
Kasdan and Jake Kasdan. He frequently casts Kevin Kline and William
Hurt in his films.Kasdan was born in Miami Beach, Florida, the son of
Jewish parents Sylvia Sarah (née Landau), an employment counselor,
and Clarence Norman Kasdan, who worked in his brother-in-law's
electronics store. His older brother is Mark Kasdan, who co-wrote
Silverado (1985) and produced Dreamcatcher (2003), and he has two
sisters. Kasdan grew up in Morgantown, West Virginia. "I felt very
fortunate to have had a regular American childhood in the fifties," he
said. "It was a safe place, where you owned the town if you had a
bicycle."
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