Andrew Bergman (born February 20, 1945) is an American screenwriter, film director, and novelist. His best-known films includeBlazing Saddles,The In-Laws,The Freshman andStriptease.

Born to a Jewish family,^[1] Bergman graduated fromBinghamton University in 1965 and earned aPhD in American history from theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison in 1970.

His dissertation, a study of Depression-era Hollywood films, was published in 1971 by NYU Press under the titleWe're in the Money: Depression America and Its Films. He also wroteJames Cagney: The Pictorial Treasury of Film Stars.^[2]

Bergman broke into the film industry by writing the original screenplay (titledTex X) that served as the basis forMel Brooks's classicBlazing Saddles (1974), and was among the writers who adapted it into its final state. He was later the sole creator of the TV sitcom pilot adaptation called "Black Bart" starring Louis Gossett Jr. for CBS which aired only once on April 4, 1975. The production was only a contractual requirement by Warner Bros. in order to maintain movie rights to produce future sequels. Mel Brooks did not have any involvement.

He wrote a gangster filmRhapsody in Crime that was never made. Warner Bros approached him to write a sequel toFreebie and the Bean with Peter Falk and Alan Arkin. Instead, Bergman came up withThe In-Laws (1979).^[3]

The In-Laws was a success, so Bergman could direct his next script,So Fine (1981) starringRyan O'Neal. It was a box office disappointment.

Bergman wroteOh, God! You Devil (1984) andFletch (1985) starringChevy Chase. The latter was a big hit. Less successful wasBig Trouble (1986), the final film to be directed byJohn Cassavetes. In 1987, The Lobell/Bergman Company, which was a joint venture with producer Michael Lobell, had signed a first-look deal at Universal Pictures to handle film production of various movies.^[4]

New York magazine in 1985 dubbed him "The Unknown King of Comedy."^[5][6]

He wrote and directedThe Freshman (1990) starringMarlon Brando andMatthew Broderick and did a rewrite onSoapdish (1991). He executive produced a number of movies includingChances Are (1989),White Fang (1991),Undercover Blues (1993) andLittle Big League (1994).

Bergman wrote and directedHoneymoon in Vegas (1992) starringNicolas Cage,James Caan andSarah Jessica Parker, and directedIt Could Happen To You (1994) starringNicolas Cage andBridget Fonda.

He wrote the initial draft forThe Scout (1994), although he says the resulting film is different from his version. The film gives writing credit toRoger Angell, Bergman,Monica Johnson and starAlbert Brooks.

Bergman wrote and directedStriptease (1996) starringDemi Moore, and directed theJacqueline Susann biopicIsn't She Great (2000) starringBette Midler andNathan Lane.

He has written four novels:The Big Kiss-Off of 1944,Hollywood and LeVine,Tender Is LeVine, andSleepless Nights. The first three are hard-boiled noir detective stories about a Jewish private eye called Jack LeVine (originally Jacob Levine) in 1940s New York.^[7] The fourth is a psychological study of a Jewish family. He also wrote the Broadway comedy,Social Security, andWorking Title.^[6] The Andrew Bergman History Writing Prize is awarded by theUniversity of Wisconsin.^[8]

His first play on Broadway,Social Security, opened in 1986, starringMarlo Thomas andRon Silver.

In 2013, Bergman would go on to adapt his movie and write the book for theHoneymoon in Vegas Broadway musical, with music and lyrics byJason Robert Brown.

In 2007, Bergman received the Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Lifetime Achievement in Writing from theWriters Guild of America.^[9]

For his work onStriptease, Bergman received theGolden Raspberry Awards forWorst Director,Worst Screenplay, and shared theWorst Picture Award with co-producer Mike Lobell.^[10]

He lives inNew York City with his wife. He has two grown sons.^{[citation needed]}

Film

Executive producer

• Chances Are (1989)
• White Fang (1991)
• Undercover Blues (1993)
• Little Big League (1994)

Television

• Andrew Bergman atIMDb
• "Eulogy for Joel Siegel by Screenwriter Andrew Bergman"
• "Andrew Bergman",Charlie Rose

• 1945 births
• Living people
• 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights
• 20th-century American Jews
• 20th-century American male writers
• 20th-century American novelists
• 20th-century American screenwriters
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• 21st-century American Jews
• 21st-century American male writers
• 21st-century American novelists
• 21st-century American screenwriters
• American comedy writers
• American male dramatists and playwrights
• American male novelists
• American male screenwriters
• Binghamton University alumni
• Film directors from New York City
• Jewish American comedy writers
• Jewish American dramatists and playwrights
• Jewish American screenwriters
• Jewish American novelists
• Jews from New York (state)
• Novelists from New York City
• Mass media people from Queens, New York
• Screenwriters from New York City
• University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Letters and Science alumni
• Writers from Queens, New York
• Writers Guild of America Award winners

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