Bruce McKenna
Encyclopedia
Bruce C. McKenna is a writer for television and film. He is the Emmy Award
-winning co-executive producer, creator, principal writer and researcher on the 2010 HBO 10 part mini-series, The Pacific
, which was co-produced by Steven Spielberg
and Tom Hanks
. The Pacific received eight Emmy Award
s, including one for Outstanding Miniseries, at the 62nd annual Emmy Award ceremony held on August 29, 2010. The Pacific had been nominated for 24 Emmy Awards, including Mckenna's nomination for "Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special" for his writing (with co-writer Robert Schenkkan
) of the episode "The Pacific" - "Part Ten."
In 2001, he wrote three episodes of the television series Band of Brothers, entitled: "The Last Patrol" (co-writer; eighth episode), "Bastogne" (sole writer; sixth episode), and "Replacements" (co-writer; fourth episode). Mckenna's "Bastogne" episode won a Writers Guild Award, garnered an Emmy nomination, and was a finalist for the Humanitas Prize
.
Before his work in television and film, Mckenna worked as a journalist and freelance writer. He has written many articles on the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and Pakistan, and has interviewed Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
. McKenna "was the first Western journalist to write about Pamyat
, the Russian anti-Semitic movement that emerged after the breakup of the Soviet Union." His work has appeared in Arete
, the arts magazine, The National Review, The New York Times
, and other publications.
He is currently adapting Arthur C. Clarke
's novel Rendezvous with Rama
for the screen. He also is writing the screenplay for The Hands of Shang-Chi. In 2002, McKenna sold a pitch for an "Untitled Western" that he went on to write for a high-seven figure deal. Ridley Scott is currently attached to direct.
McKenna, a native of Englewood, New Jersey
, is the son of paleontologist Malcolm McKenna
and Priscilla McKenna, who had served as Englewood's City Council President. He attended Elisabeth Morrow School
and graduated from Dwight-Englewood School
in 1980 and Wesleyan University
in 1984, Phi Beta Kappa, where he majored in European history and received the Dutcher History Prize. After graduation, he attended the Ph.D. program in Russian and Soviet intellectual history at Stanford University
for one year. However, Mckenna left Stanford to become a freelance writer focusing in politics and foreign affairs.
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning co-executive producer, creator, principal writer and researcher on the 2010 HBO 10 part mini-series, The Pacific
The Pacific (miniseries)
The Pacific is a 2010 television series produced by HBO, Seven Network Australia, Sky Movies, Playtone and DreamWorks that premiered in the United States on March 14, 2010....
, which was co-produced by Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
and Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
. The Pacific received eight Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s, including one for Outstanding Miniseries, at the 62nd annual Emmy Award ceremony held on August 29, 2010. The Pacific had been nominated for 24 Emmy Awards, including Mckenna's nomination for "Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special" for his writing (with co-writer Robert Schenkkan
Robert Schenkkan
Robert Frederic Schenkkan, Jr. is an American playwright, screenwriter, and actor, perhaps most recognizable as the character of Lieutenant Commander Dexter Remmick in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
) of the episode "The Pacific" - "Part Ten."
In 2001, he wrote three episodes of the television series Band of Brothers, entitled: "The Last Patrol" (co-writer; eighth episode), "Bastogne" (sole writer; sixth episode), and "Replacements" (co-writer; fourth episode). Mckenna's "Bastogne" episode won a Writers Guild Award, garnered an Emmy nomination, and was a finalist for the Humanitas Prize
Humanitas Prize
The Humanitas Prize is an award for film and television writing intended to promote human dignity, meaning, and freedom. It began in 1974 with Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser — also the founder of Paulist Productions — but is generally not seen as specifically directed toward religious...
.
Before his work in television and film, Mckenna worked as a journalist and freelance writer. He has written many articles on the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and Pakistan, and has interviewed Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
. McKenna "was the first Western journalist to write about Pamyat
Pamyat
Pamyat is a Russian nationalist organization identifying itself as the "People's National-patriotic Orthodox Christian movement." The group's stated focus is preserving Russian culture.- History :...
, the Russian anti-Semitic movement that emerged after the breakup of the Soviet Union." His work has appeared in Arete
Arete
Areté is the term meaning "virtue" or "excellence", from Greek ἈρετήArete may also be used:*as a given name of persons or things:**Queen Arete , a character in Homer's Odyssey.***197 Arete, an asteroid....
, the arts magazine, The National Review, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, and other publications.
He is currently adapting Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
's novel Rendezvous with Rama
Rendezvous with Rama
Rendezvous with Rama is a novel by Arthur C. Clarke first published in 1972. Set in the 22nd century, the story involves a cylindrical alien starship that enters Earth's solar system...
for the screen. He also is writing the screenplay for The Hands of Shang-Chi. In 2002, McKenna sold a pitch for an "Untitled Western" that he went on to write for a high-seven figure deal. Ridley Scott is currently attached to direct.
McKenna, a native of Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
, is the son of paleontologist Malcolm McKenna
Malcolm McKenna
Malcolm Carnegie McKenna was an American paleontologist. He was the curator of vertebrate paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History and co-authored the book Classification of Mammals along with Susan K. Bell...
and Priscilla McKenna, who had served as Englewood's City Council President. He attended Elisabeth Morrow School
Elisabeth Morrow School
The Elisabeth Morrow School is a private coeducational day school located in Englewood, New Jersey, USA, serving students age three through the grade eight. The school has a total enrollment of 462 students....
and graduated from Dwight-Englewood School
Dwight-Englewood School
The Dwight–Englewood School is an independent coeducational college preparatory day school, located in Englewood, New Jersey. The school teaches students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade via three functionally separate schools. The Lower School serves students in pre-kindergarten through...
in 1980 and Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
in 1984, Phi Beta Kappa, where he majored in European history and received the Dutcher History Prize. After graduation, he attended the Ph.D. program in Russian and Soviet intellectual history at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
for one year. However, Mckenna left Stanford to become a freelance writer focusing in politics and foreign affairs.