Warren Skaaren
Encyclopedia
Warren Skaaren was an America
n screenwriter
and film producer
. His notable writing includes: Batman
(1989), Beetlejuice
(1988), Beverly Hills Cop 2 (1987) and Fire with Fire (1986). He was also credited as associate producer for Top Gun
(1986), for which he wrote a draft. He had also written an unproduced sequel
to The Jewel of the Nile
(1985) called The Crimson Eagle.
Skaaren graduated from Rice University
in Houston, Texas
in 1969. He served as the Student Association President from 1968-1969 and was a member of Hanszen College. He moved to Austin, Texas
and began working at the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. He was appointed by Governor Preston Smith as executive director of the newly formed Texas Film Commission
on December 9, 1970. His first success was getting the film The Getaway
shot in Texas. Nearly forty more feature film
s were shot in Texas while Skaaren headed the Film Commission. He was a driving force behind the distribution
of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
, a film in which he took a personal financial stake. The success of the film enabled Skaaren to leave the Film Commission and begin his career in the film industry.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n 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:...
and film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
. His notable writing includes: Batman
Batman (1989 film)
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
(1989), Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros...
(1988), Beverly Hills Cop 2 (1987) and Fire with Fire (1986). He was also credited as associate producer for Top Gun
Top Gun
Top Gun may refer to:* Top Gun is a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise.**Top Gun , soundtrack to the movie**Top Gun , a number of games based on the movie...
(1986), for which he wrote a draft. He had also written an unproduced sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to The Jewel of the Nile
The Jewel of the Nile
The Jewel of the Nile is a 1985 romantic adventure film, and a sequel to the 1984 film Romancing the Stone, with Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito reprising their roles...
(1985) called The Crimson Eagle.
Skaaren graduated from Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
in 1969. He served as the Student Association President from 1968-1969 and was a member of Hanszen College. He moved to Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
and began working at the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. He was appointed by Governor Preston Smith as executive director of the newly formed Texas Film Commission
Texas Film Commission
The Texas Film Commission is a state agency of Texas, under the oversight of the Governor of Texas. Its headquarters are in Suite 3.410 in the Texas Insurance Building in Downtown Austin.-External links:*...
on December 9, 1970. His first success was getting the film The Getaway
The Getaway (1972 film)
The Getaway is a 1972 American action-crime film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw.The film is based on a novel by Jim Thompson, with the screenplay written by Walter Hill...
shot in Texas. Nearly forty more feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s were shot in Texas while Skaaren headed the Film Commission. He was a driving force behind the distribution
Film distribution
The distribution of a film is the process through which a movie is made available to watch for an audience by a film distributor...
of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
, a film in which he took a personal financial stake. The success of the film enabled Skaaren to leave the Film Commission and begin his career in the film industry.
Filmography
- Fire with Fire (with Bill PhillipsBill PhillipsBill Phillips may refer to:*Bill Phillips , fitness and nutrition author*Bill Phillips , Canadian baseball player...
, Paul Boorstin and Susan Boorstin) (1986) - Beverly Hills Cop IIBeverly Hills Cop IIBeverly Hills Cop II is a 1987 action-comedy film starring Eddie Murphy and directed by Tony Scott. It is the first sequel in the Beverly Hills Cop series. Murphy returns as Detroit police detective Axel Foley, who returns to Beverly Hills, California to track down a joint robbery/gun-running ring...
(with Larry Ferguson) (1987) - BeetlejuiceBeetlejuiceBeetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros...
(with Michael McDowellMichael McDowellMichael McDowell is a Senior Counsel in the Bar Council of Ireland and a former politician. A grandson of Irish revolutionary Eoin MacNeill, McDowell was a founding member of the Progressive Democrats political party in the mid-1980s...
) (1988) - BatmanBatman (1989 film)Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
(with Sam HammSam HammSam Hamm is an American screenwriter, perhaps best known for writing the screenplay for Tim Burton's Batman and an unused screenplay for the sequel. As a result of his work, he was invited to write for the Batman comic. The result was Batman: Blind Justice, which introduced Bruce Wayne's mentor,...
) (1989)