John Byrum

John Williams Byrum was born and raised in Winnetka, Illinois. While attending NYU Film School, he worked as an intern for 'Jim Henson' (qv) and the Muppets, eventually working as a writer on the new _Sesame Street (1969)_ (qv) show. Byrum moved to Los Angeles to pursue film work after writing several screenplays, including _Inserts (1975)_ (qv). On the basis of that writing sample, he worked with producers 'Tony Bill' (qv), 'Don Devlin' (qv) and 'Harry Gittes' (qv) to write the script _Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976)_ (qv) which was bought by Columbia Pictures for a record-breaking amount. Byrum then worked with 'Tony Richardson' (qv) and 'Berry Gordy' (qv), writing the script for the 'Diana Ross' (qv) vehicle, _Mahogany (1975)_ (qv). Byrum directed his film _Inserts (1975)_ (qv) with 'Richard Dreyfuss' (qv) and 'Jessica Harper' (qv), then wrote and directed _Heart Beat (1980)_ (qv) - based upon the lives of 'Jack Kerouac' (qv), 'Neal Cassady' (qv) and 'Carolyn Cassady' (qv), starring 'Nick Nolte' (qv), 'Sissy Spacek' (qv) and 'John Heard' (qv) and followed with _The Razor's Edge (1984)_ (qv) - co-written with 'Bill Murray' (qv) and starring Murray, 'Catherine Hicks' (qv), 'Theresa Russell' (qv), 'James Keach' (qv) and 'Denholm Elliott' (qv). With the box office failure of _The Razor's Edge (1984)_ (qv), Byrum directed the goof-ball comedy _The Whoopee Boys (1986)_ (qv) starring 'Michael O'Keefe' (qv) and 'Paul Rodriguez' (qv) and various stand-up comedians of the time, along with 'Denholm Elliott' (qv) and 'Carole Shelley' (qv). Byrum turned to television, creating, writing and producing the critically-praised series _Middle Ages (1992)_ (qv) starring 'Peter Riegert' (qv) and writing, directing and producing the TV film/pilot _Murder in High Places (1991)_ (qv), loosely based on a fictional 'Hunter Thompson' (qv)-type character. Other series created, written and produced by Byrum include _Winnetka Road (1994)_ (qv) and _South of Sunset (1993)_ (qv), a television show that starred rock legend 'Glenn Frey' (qv) of 'The Eagles' (qv). Byrum's original screenplay _Duets (2000)_ (qv) was due to begin production, starring 'Brad Pitt' (qv) and 'Gwyneth Paltrow' (qv), when the couple's broken engagement derailed the project temporarily. "Duets" was eventually made with 'Gwyneth Paltrow' (qv), her father 'Bruce Paltrow' (qv) directing, with 'Scott Speedman' (qv) in the role originally pegged for 'Brad Pitt' (qv).'John Byrum' (qv) has two children and resides in Connecticut with his wife and dogs.::L. Nadine