Gil Reavill
Encyclopedia
Gil Reavill is an American
author
, journalist
and screenwriter
whose work has appeared in a variety of media.
and educated at University of Wisconsin–Madison
and University of Colorado
. He lives in New York
with his wife and daughter.
, Reavill moved to New York in 1981. Among his jobs in the early 1980s was ghostwriting for Al Goldstein
, publisher of Screw magazine. Out of that experience grew his non-fiction book Smut: A Sex-Industry Insider (and Concerned Father) Says Enough is Enough. In addition, Reavill wrote several plays produced in off-off-Broadway
venues throughout the 1980s.
Many of Reavill's true-crime articles appeared in Maxim
from 1998 to 2004. His non-fiction books include Aftermath: Cleaning Up After CSI Goes Home and Raising Our Athletic Daughters: How Sports Can Build Self-Esteem And Save Girls' Lives, penned with his wife Jean Zimmerman
.
Beginning in 2002, a writing parnership with Eric Saks yielded the screenplay for the film Dirty
and several other optioned or in-development screenplays. Dirty, directed by Chris Fisher
, premiered at the 2005 American Film Institute
Film Festival in Los Angeles and stars Cuba Gooding, Jr.
, Clifton Collins, Jr.
, Wyclef Jean
and Taboo of The Black Eyed Peas
.
Reavill's ghostwriting collaborations include projects with Terri Irwin
, the widow of Steve Irwin
(Steve & Me: Life with the Crocodile Hunter), Tiki Barber
(Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond) and Jerry Heller
(Ruthless: A Memoir). He and Zimmerman were credited pseudonymously as Carol Calef on Beyond All Reason: My Life with Susan Smith, David Smith
's account of the 1994 murders of his sons, Michael and Alex.
The August 2005 issue of American Songwriter magazine profiled Reavill as a song lyricist.
As a ghostwriter:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
whose work has appeared in a variety of media.
Early and personal life
Reavill was born in WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and educated at University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
and University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. He lives in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
with his wife and daughter.
Career
After working at daily newspapers in ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Reavill moved to New York in 1981. Among his jobs in the early 1980s was ghostwriting for Al Goldstein
Al Goldstein
Alvin "Al" Goldstein is a former American publisher and pornographer. His company Milky Way Productions, home of Screw, and his long-running cable TV show, Midnight Blue was started in 1968 and went into bankruptcy in 2004...
, publisher of Screw magazine. Out of that experience grew his non-fiction book Smut: A Sex-Industry Insider (and Concerned Father) Says Enough is Enough. In addition, Reavill wrote several plays produced in off-off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway
Off-Off-Broadway theatrical productions in New York City are those in theatres that are smaller than Broadway and Off-Broadway theatres. Off-Off-Broadway theaters are often defined as theaters that have fewer than 100 seats, though the term can be used for any show in the New York City area that...
venues throughout the 1980s.
Many of Reavill's true-crime articles appeared in Maxim
Maxim (magazine)
Maxim is an international men's magazine based in the United Kingdom and known for its pictorials featuring popular actresses, singers, and female models, sometimes pictured dressed, often pictured scantily dressed but not fully nude....
from 1998 to 2004. His non-fiction books include Aftermath: Cleaning Up After CSI Goes Home and Raising Our Athletic Daughters: How Sports Can Build Self-Esteem And Save Girls' Lives, penned with his wife Jean Zimmerman
Jean Zimmerman
-Biography:A graduate of Barnard College, Zimmerman earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry from the Columbia University School of the Arts, and was awarded a New York State Fine Arts grant in 1983.For her first book Zimmerman coauthored, with Felice N...
.
Beginning in 2002, a writing parnership with Eric Saks yielded the screenplay for the film Dirty
Dirty (film)
Dirty is a 2005 crime–drama film, directed by Chris Fisher. It stars Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Clifton Collins, Jr.. The film had a limited release in 2005.-Plot:...
and several other optioned or in-development screenplays. Dirty, directed by Chris Fisher
Chris Fisher
Chris Fisher , is an American director, writer, and producer.-Career:Fisher grew up in Newport Beach and studied philosophy and law at the University of Southern California, going on to work as a corporate lawyer in London before deciding to work in the entertainment industry...
, premiered at the 2005 American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
Film Festival in Los Angeles and stars Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Cuba M. Gooding, Jr. is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his Academy Award-winning portrayal of Rod Tidwell in Cameron Crowe's 1996 film Jerry Maguire, and his critically acclaimed performance as Tré Styles in John Singleton's 1991 film Boyz n the Hood.-Early life:Gooding was born...
, Clifton Collins, Jr.
Clifton Collins, Jr.
Clifton Craig Collins, Jr. is an American actor.-Life and career:Clifton Craig Collins, Jr. was born in Los Angeles, of half Mexican descent and the grandson of actor Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez. He has sometimes been credited as Clifton Gonzalez-Gonzalez to honor his grandfather...
, Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
and Taboo of The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
.
Reavill's ghostwriting collaborations include projects with Terri Irwin
Terri Irwin
Theresa Penelope "Terri" Irwin, AM is an Australian-based, American-born naturalist, author, the widow of Australian naturalist Steve Irwin and owner of Australia Zoo at Beerwah, Queensland, Australia...
, the widow of Steve Irwin
Steve Irwin
Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin , nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted...
(Steve & Me: Life with the Crocodile Hunter), Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber
Atiim Kiambu Hakeem-Ah "Tiki" Barber is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
(Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond) and Jerry Heller
Jerry Heller
Jerry Heller is best known for managing West Coast rap group N.W.A. and rapper Eazy-E. He is co-founder and CEO of Ruthless Records. Heller managed War, Average White Band, Marvin Gaye, Michel'le, A.L.T...
(Ruthless: A Memoir). He and Zimmerman were credited pseudonymously as Carol Calef on Beyond All Reason: My Life with Susan Smith, David Smith
Susan Smith
Susan Leigh Vaughan Smith is an American woman sentenced to life in prison for murdering her children. Born in Union, South Carolina, and a former student of the University of South Carolina Union, she was convicted on July 22, 1995 of murdering her two sons, 3-year-old Michael Daniel Smith, born...
's account of the 1994 murders of his sons, Michael and Alex.
The August 2005 issue of American Songwriter magazine profiled Reavill as a song lyricist.
List of works
As himself:- Raising Our Athletic Daughters: How Sports Can Build Self-Esteem And Save Girls' Lives (1998)
- Smut: A Sex-Industry Insider (and Concerned Father) Says Enough is Enough (2005)
- Aftermath: Cleaning Up After CSI Goes Home (2007)
As a ghostwriter:
- Beyond All Reason: My Life with Susan Smith (1995)
- Ruthless: A Memoir (2007)
- Steve & Me: Life with the Crocodile Hunter (2007)
- Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond (2007)