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Crimson Tide

by Ari Posner
March/April 2008

The (Rising) Stars

Sam JonesRashida Jones

illustration by David CowlesBJ Novak

Larsen & Talbert Bitsie Tulloch

Rashida Jones | A.B. ’97

Daughter of Quincy Jones and The Mod Squad’s Peggy Lipton, she starred as Karen, Pam’s rival for Jim on NBC’s The Office. Next appears in the Fox sitcom Unhitched.

See Rising:Rashida Jones.

John Aboud | A.B. ’95 | Michael Colton | A.B. '97

Co-founders of the Modern Humorist, a formative website; commentators on VH1’s I Love the 90s and Best Week Ever; and screenwriting partners. Credits include sports parody The Comebacks directed by Tom Brady.

See Secret History

Jordanna Fraiberg | A.B. ’94

Vice president of production at Village Roadshow Pictures, where she developed License to Wed and the upcoming Richard Gere-Diane Lane film Nights in Rodanthe. Author of young-adult novel In Your Room, to be published by Razorbill this fall.

Mark Roybal | A.B. ’95

Executive produced Coen brothers film No Country for Old Men and is president of Scott Rudin Productions, where he oversees development for his legendarily mercurial and acclaimed boss.

Kristin Gore | A.B. ’99

Has written for TV (Futurama) and authored D.C.-based novels Sammy’s Hill and Sammy’s House. Co-wrote David O. Russell’s next film, Nailed, set to star Jessica Biel and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Michael Schur | A.B. ’97

Has already won two Emmy Awards for his work on The Office and is another SNL alum. Married to Heroes writer and Regis Philbin daughter J.J. Philbin.

B.J. Novak | A.B. ’01

A writer-producer-performer on The Office who hilariously creeps out fans as dastardly temp-turned-boss Ryan Howard. Also appeared last year in Knocked Up and Reign Over Me.

Galt Niederhoffer | A.B. ’97

Standout independent producer and co-founder of Plum Pictures in New York. Had three films at Sundance last year, including Audience Award winner Grace Is Gone, with John Cusack.

Robert Carlock | A.B. ’95

Co-head writer and co-executive producer of critics’ darling 30 Rock. Also wrote for Saturday Night Live and Friends.

Bitsie Tulloch | A.B. ’03

Actress with multiple TV appearances who is currently having her moment as the central character of quarterlife, a Zwick/Herskovitz Internet drama picked up by NBC.

See Bitsie's Pieces, and Changing Channels.

The Stars

illustration by David CowlesJohn Lithgow

Elisabeth Shue | A.B. '86

Best known for Leaving Las Vegas and Cocktail, she took time off to complete her Harvard degree and raise a family with husband Davis Guggenheim (director of An Inconvenient Truth). Will appear in several films this year, including Waking Madison and Hamlet 2.

Natalie Portman | A.B. '03

She burst onto the scene in The Professional, ripened in Closer and V for Vendetta, and will live forever in fanboy history as Queen Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. This year, she stars in My Blueberry Nights and The Other Boleyn Girl.

See Not That Innocent.

Conan O'Brien | A.B. '85

Host of Late Night with Conan O’Brien on NBC since 1993 and heir apparent to The Tonight Show as of 2009. So masterful at recent Emmy Awards shows that he made a case for being chosen as permanent host.

Tommy Lee Jones | A.B. ’69

A legend long before winning an Academy Award for The Fugitive in 1993. Has starred in everything from the Lonesome Dove miniseries to Men in Black and recently anchored two acclaimed films, No Country For Old Men and In the Valley of Elah. In 2005, he produced, directed, and starred in critical favorite The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.

See Lone Star.

John Lithgow | A.B. ’67

Has excelled in every area of performance, from children’s comedy records to Broadway to his multi-Emmy-winning turn as the outlandish alien Dr. Dick Solomon on 3rd Rock from the Sun. Also voiced Lord Farquaad in Shrek and was Oscar–nominated for The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment.

Mira Sorvino | A.B. ’89

Won Oscar for Mighty Aphrodite, then took time off to raise children, but is back with the recent Reservation Road and the forthcoming drama The Trouble with Cali.

Stockard Channing | A.B. ’65

Grande dame of stage and screen, she won Emmys for The West Wing and The Matthew Shepard Story. Brightened films such as Grease and Six Degrees of Separation and will next be seen in Multiple Sarcasms.

Matt Damon | Class of ’92 (No degree)

Star of Good Will Hunting, for which he also shared the best original screenplay Oscar with Boston bud Ben Affleck. The rare actor who can move effortlessly from action roles (the Bourne series) to broad comedy (Stuck on You) to serious character work (The Talented Mr. Ripley). And then there’s that whole “sexiest man alive” thing.

Donal Logue | A.B. ’88

Ubiquitous comedy star of TV’s Grounded for Life, The Knights of Prosperity, and Fox’s upcoming Hackett. Film appearances include The Tao of Steve, Ghost Rider, and the upcoming The Lodger.

Amy Brenneman | A.B. ’86

The thinking man’s sex symbol steamed up films such as Heat and Your Friends & Neighbors but has made her biggest mark in television with stints on NYPD Blue and Judging Amy (which she also co-created and produced). Currently stars in the ABC drama Private Practice.

Scribes of the Big Screen

Illustration by David CowlesPaul Attanasio

Aline Brosh McKenna | A.B. ’89

The current go-to writer of strong-woman pictures such as The Devil Wears Prada, Laws of Attraction, and 27 Dresses.

Frank Pierson | A.B. ’46

Oscar-winning writer of Dog Day Afternoon who also scripted Cat Ballou, Cool Hand Luke, and Presumed Innocent, and wrote and directed the Barbra Streisand version of A Star is Born.

Keir Pearson | A.B. ’89

Oscar–nominated for first screenplay, Hotel Rwanda.

Paul Attanasio | A.B. ’81, J.D. ’84

A-list fixture with credits like Quiz Show, Disclosure, Donnie Brasco, and The Good German, also helped launch acclaimed TV series Homicide: Life on the Street and executive produced House.

Dennis McNicholas | A.B ’94

Former Saturday Night Live co-head writer and co-writer of forthcoming Will Ferrell film Land of the Lost.

Michael Ferris | A.B. ’83 | John Brancato | A.B. ’80

Hot action team behind The Net, The Game, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Have scripted the next installment in the Terminator series, to star Christian Bale.

Philip LaZebnik | A.B. ’75

Writer of Disney animated films Pocahontas and Mulan and DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt, among others.

Geoff Rodkey | A.B. ’92

Family comedy specialist who wrote Daddy Day Care, The Shaggy Dog, RV, and Daddy Day Camp.

Michael Crichton | A.B. ’64, M.D. ’69

Prolific novelist and writer-creator of ER, Jurassic Park, and cult-classic Westworld, which he also directed.

Jonathan Tolins | A.B. ’88

Topical playwright and screenwriter whose Twilight of the Golds played on Broadway and was filmed for Showtime. Co-wrote John Cusack film Martian Child.

The Directors

Illustration by David CowlesMira Nair

Tom Brady | A.B. '86

Broad comedy specialist who wrote The Animal and wrote and directed The Hot Chick. Currently developing a big-screen version of Welcome Back, Kotter set to star Ice Cube.

James Toback | A.B. '66

Self-styled maverick screenwriter of Bugsy and writer-director of Fingers, The Pick-up Artist, and early Adrian Grenier pic Harvard Man.

Rob Cohen | A.B. '71

Action maestro behind The Fast and the Furious, xXx, Stealth, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (out August 2008). Next slated to direct King of the Nudies, about B-movie king Russ Meyer.

Terrence Malick | A.B. '65

Brilliant visionary perfectionist who wrote and directed Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, and The New World. Next up: the drama Tree of Life, with Brad Pitt and Sean Penn.

Darren Aronofsky | A.B. '91

Writer-director of powerful and deeply creative films Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and The Fountain. Currently developing The Fighter for Brad Pitt and Mark Wahlberg.

Rodrigo Garcia | A.B. ’82

Gabriel García Marquez’s son and director of Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her and Nine Lives. Joined forces with so-called Mexican mafia (including directors Alfonso Cuarón and Guillermo del Toro) to land $100 million in production money from Universal Pictures. Directed upcoming film Passengers, starring Anne Hathaway.

Jonathan Mostow | A.B. ’83

Skillful pro who wrote and directed Breakdown and U-571 and rescued Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines by doing an efficient last-minute job as director.

Ed Zwick | A.B. ’74

Hugely accomplished multi-hyphenate behind TV shows thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, and Once and Again. Director of films Glory, Legends of the Fall, and Blood Diamond. Received Oscar nomination for producing Traffic, won for Shakespeare in Love. Recently co-created quarterlife, the pioneering Internet series to be rebroadcast as a drama on NBC this spring.

See Changing Channels.

Whit Stillman | A.B. ’73

Cinematic wit and poet laureate of WASP decline. Wrote and directed Metropolitan, Barcelona, and The Last Days of Disco.

See Transitions: Chasing Whit Stillman.

Mira Nair | A.B. ’79

Versatile director of nearly a dozen films, including Salaam Bombay!, Monsoon Wedding, and The Namesake.

See The Company of Mira Nair.

The Dealmakers

Illustration by David CowlesSumner Redstone

Sumner Redstone | A.B. ’44, LL.B. ’47

Controlling shareholder of media conglomerate Viacom and CBS Corporation. Got his start at National Amusements, his father’s chain of drive-in theaters, and steadily climbed the ladder of Hollywood power, swallowing up CBS and Paramount—and cementing a reputation as one of the most feared and loathed executives in the business.

Michael Lynton | A.B. ’82, MBA ’87

Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Responsible for managing studio’s global operations.

Lucy Fisher | A.B. ’71

After extensive executive stints at Warner Bros. Pictures and Sony Pictures, she became co-head of Red Wagon Entertainment in 2001 with husband Douglas Wick. Producer of films including Bewitched, Jarhead, and Memoirs of a Geisha.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura | A.B. ’80

Former production head at Warner Bros. and president and founder of di Bonaventura Pictures. Producer of Four Brothers, Transformers, and the upcoming Beverly Hills Cop IV, among others.

Susanne Daniels | A.B. ’87

Former president of entertainment at The WB and current president of entertainment at Lifetime. Responsible for the cable network’s surge in series programming, with hits Army Wives, Side Order of Life, and State of Mind. Married to The Office scribe and executive producer Greg Daniels.

Reginald Hudlin | A.B. ’83

President of BET Entertainment, serving as chief programming executive in charge of music, entertainment, and specials at the cable network. Also a seasoned director of films including House Party, The Ladies Man, and Serving Sara.

Nicholas Weinstock | A.B. ’91

Author of well-received novels and former TV development exec at 20th Century Fox Television. Recently named head of feature and TV development at Apatow Productions.

David Heyman | A.B. ’83

Number nine on Entertainment Weekly’s 50 Smartest People in Hollywood list, thanks to his prescience in picking up the rights to a manuscript by a then-unknown J.K. Rowling. Shepherded the Harry Potter series to becoming the highest-grossing franchise in history.

John Lesher | A.B. ’88

Former Endeavor agent who has rapidly ascended to head of Paramount’s Motion Picture Group, with creative and production responsibilities for the studio as well as film divisions of MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, and specialty label Paramount Vantage.

Patric Verrone | A.B. ’81

Veteran TV writer with credits including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Simpsons, and Futurama. Became a central player in the struggle between writers and management as the savvy and well-organized president of the Writers Guild of America, West.

| A.B. ’86

NBC Universal’s president and CEO. Has been called a wunderkind for so long it’s practically part of his name. Became executive producer of the Today show at 26, briefly ran NBC Nightly News at 30, and scaled the summit of NBC’s combined network and studio operations last year at age 41.

Small-Screen Players

Illustration by David CowlesDavid Javerbaum

Greg Daniels | A.B. '85

One of Hollywood's most successful TV writers. Co-created and ran animated Fox hit King of the Hill. Pulled off American transplant of The Office, for which he serves as show runner and occasional director (and for wich he has also won two writing Emmys). Got his start as Conan O'Brien's partner writing for shows such as Saturday Night Live.

Glenn Kessler | A.B. ’92 | Todd Kessler | A.B. ’94 | Daniel Zelman | A.B. ’89

Co-creators and executive producers of FX drama and critical fave Damages. Todd Kessler previously wrote for The Sopranos; Zelman co-wrote the recent Kate Hudson-Matthew McConaughey flick Fool’s Gold.

Jim Downey | A.B. ’74

A key writer for Saturday Night Live for most (23 years!) of its long run. Renowned for his biting political humor. Also wrote for Late Night with David Letterman in its formative years. Has a bit part in Paul Thomas Anderson’s acclaimed There Will Be Blood.

Alec Berg | A.B. ’91 | David Mandel | A.B. ’92 | Jeff Schaffer | A.B. ’91

In-demand script-doctor team that wrote The Cat in the Hat and wrote and directed EuroTrip. Best known as writers and executive producers of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

David Javerbaum | A.B. ’93

Five-time Emmy-winning writer and executive producer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central.

See I Am the Great and Powerful Number 25. Heed My Words.

Adam Barr | A.B. ’88

Key writer-producer on Will & Grace and The New Adventures of Old Christine. Currently developing an American version of the British series Spaced.

Carlton Cuse | A.B. ’81

Half of creative duo “Team Darlton” with fellow Lost show runner and executive producer Damon Lindelof. Created the hit show Nash Bridges and helped develop the Lethal Weapon franchise.

Becky Hartman-Edwards | A.B. ’85

Producer and writer equally adept at comedy and drama. Past shows include The Larry Sanders Show, American Dreams, Invasion, and October Road.

Peter Ocko | A.B. ’88

Created ambitious but short-lived CBS medical show 3 Lbs. Now a co-executive producer on critical fave Pushing Daisies.

Steven Peterman | A.B. ’72

Has written for numerous comedy shows including Murphy Brown and Suddenly Susan. Current executive producer of Disney Channel sensation Hannah Montana.

The Simpsons/Harvard Axis

The following have been writer-producers of TV's longest-running sitcom.