Michael Begler

Last updated
Michael Begler
Born Long Island, New York
Occupation Television writer, screenwriter, producer, showrunner
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater University of Wisconsin–Madison
Notable works

Michael Begler is an American television writer, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for co-creating Cinemax's period medical drama The Knick , and for writing the films Raising Helen (2004), The Shaggy Dog (2006) and Big Miracle (2012), all with writing partner Jack Amiel. [1]

Contents

Early life

Begler was born and raised in Long Island, New York. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he majored in English. [2]

He met his future writing partner Jack Amiel while they were in college together and both entered the university's musical-comedy contest, 'Humorology'. [2] [1]

Career

After college, Begler moved to New York and worked as a PA on The Cosby Show . He and Amiel, who was working as a PA in Los Angeles, decided to write together shortly after, and Begler soon joined Amiel in Los Angeles. Their first writing job was on Fox's Herman's Head . [3]

Begler worked consistently from that point onwards, writing - with Amiel - on a number of sitcoms, including Empty Nest , Minor Adjustments , The Jeff Foxworthy Show , The Tony Danza Show and Malcolm in the Middle . [4]

In the mid-2000s, Begler transitioned into writing feature films, penning the scripts for the romantic comedies The Prince and Me and Garry Marshall's Raising Helen , both released in 2004. [5] [6] In 2006, Begler wrote Disney's The Shaggy Dog , starring Tim Allen and Robert Downey Jr. [7]

Begler wrote 2012's Ken Kwapis-directed Big Miracle starring Drew Barrymore. [6] Cinemax picked up Begler and Amiel's The Knick to series, after they wrote the pilot script on spec. Steven Soderbergh came on board the series as director and executive producer. [8] Begler and Amiel served as co-showrunners and executive producers, and wrote the majority of the series' episodes. The series premiered on August 8, 2014. It was renewed for a second season of 10 episodes, airing October 2015. [9] In April 2021, it was announced that Bagler and Amiel will serve as an executive producers and showrunners for second season of Perry Mason . Around the same time, he signed an overall deal with HBO. [10]

Filmography

Films

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004 The Prince and Me Screenplay by
Raising Helen Screenplay by
2006 The Shaggy Dog Screenplay by
2007Hell on EarthWritten byTV movie; also Executive Producer
2012 Big Miracle Screenplay by

Production staff

YearShowRoleNotes
1996 The Jeff Foxworthy Show Co-producer
1997
The Tony Danza Show Producer
1998
2014 The Knick Executive Producer, Co-creator
2015
2020 Perry Mason Executive Producer, Co-Showrunner (Season 2) [10]

Writer

YearShowSeasonEpisode titleEpisodeNotes
1994 Herman's Head 3"The Herm from Ipanema"17
1995 Empty Nest 7"The Ex-Files"19
1996 Minor Adjustments 1"Ask Dr. Ron"9
"Baba-Doo-Wang"14
The Jeff Foxworthy Show 2"The Poor Sportsmen of the Apocalypse"3
1997"Feud for Thought"11
"Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks"12
1998 The Wonderful World of Disney 1"Disneys Animal Kingdom: The First Adventure"27
The Tony Danza Show 1"C'gar Face"6
"Vision Quest"14
2000 Malcolm in the Middle 1"Lois vs. Evil"9
2002 Greetings from Tucson 1"My Two Padres"2
2003"Ball and Chain"10
2014 The Knick 1"Method and Madness1
"Mr. Paris Shoes"2
"The Busy Flea"3
"Where's the Dignity"4
"Start Calling Me Dad"6
"Get the Rope"7
"Working Late a Lot"8
"Crutchfield"10
20152"Ten Knots"1
"You're No Rose"2
"The Best with the Best to Get the Best"3
"Wonderful Surprises"4
"Williams and Walker"7
"Do You Remember Moon Flower?"9
"This Is All We Are"10
2023 Perry Mason 21

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Soderbergh</span> American filmmaker

Steven Andrew Soderbergh is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor. A pioneer of modern independent cinema, Soderbergh is an acclaimed and prolific filmmaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Ball (screenwriter)</span> American screenwriter

Alan Erwin Ball is an American writer, director, and producer for television, film, and theater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff Martinez</span> Musician, composer, drummer

Cliff Robert Martinez is an American musician and composer. Early in his career, Martinez was known as a drummer notably with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Captain Beefheart. Since the 1990s, he has worked primarily as a film score composer, writing music for Spring Breakers, The Foreigner, and multiple films by Steven Soderbergh and Nicolas Winding Refn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terence Winter</span> American television and film writer

Terence Patrick Winter is an American writer and producer of television and film. He is the creator, writer, and executive producer of the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire (2010–14). Before creating Boardwalk Empire, Winter was a writer and executive producer for the HBO television series The Sopranos, from the show's second to sixth and final season (2000–2007).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Johnson (actor)</span> Canadian actor

Eric Johann Johnson is a Canadian actor known for playing Flash Gordon on the eponymous 2007–2008 television series, Whitney Fordman on the superhero series Smallville, Detective Luke Callaghan on the police drama Rookie Blue, and Jack Hyde in the Fifty Shades film series. Since 2022, he has played a misogynist corrupt sheriff in the HBO Max horror series Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.

Zaraah Clover Abrahams is an English actress and voiceover artist. She is known for her roles as Magda in Girls in Love from 2003 to 2005, Michaela White in the BBC school-based drama series Waterloo Road from 2008 to 2010, Joanne Jackson in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2005 to 2007 and Chelsea Fox in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2020 onwards. She then competed in the third series of the ITV talent show Dancing on Ice, and later returned as a contestant for the All Star series in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Kripke</span> American writer and television producer (born 1974)

Eric Kripke is an American writer and television producer. He came to prominence as the creator of the fantasy drama series Supernatural (2005–2020) which aired on The CW. He served as the showrunner during the first five seasons of the series. Kripke also created the post-apocalyptic drama series Revolution (2012–2014) and co-created the science fiction series Timeless (2016–2018). Since 2019, he has served as showrunner of the superhero series The Boys, which was developed for Amazon Prime Video.

David Hudgins is an American television writer and showrunner. He has worked on Everwood, Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, and Shut Eye. He created the drama series Past Life and Game of Silence.

Jonathan Tropper is an American screenwriter, novelist, and producer. He is the internationally best-selling author of six novels that have been translated into over thirty languages. His last two novels, This Is Where I Leave You and One Last Thing Before I Go were both New York Times best-sellers. He is the co-creator and executive producer of the Cinemax television series Banshee (2013–2016) and the creator of the Cinemax television series Warrior (2019–present).

<i>The Knick</i> American television drama series

The Knick is an American medical period drama television series on Cinemax created by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler and directed by Steven Soderbergh. The series follows Dr. John W. Thackery and the staff at a fictionalized version of the Knickerbocker Hospital in New York during the early twentieth century. Amiel and Begler wrote the majority of the episodes and are executive producers. Owen, Soderbergh, Gregory Jacobs, and Michael Sugar were executive producers. Steven Katz was the supervising producer and also writer, Michael Polaire was the producer and David Kirchner the associate producer.

<i>Behind the Candelabra</i> 2013 film

Behind the Candelabra is a 2013 American biographical drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh. It dramatizes the last ten years in the life of pianist Liberace and the relationship that he had with Scott Thorson. It is based on Thorson's memoir, Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace (1988). Richard LaGravenese wrote the screenplay. Jerry Weintraub was the executive producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eve Hewson</span> Irish actress (born 1991)

Eve Hewson is an Irish actress, whose father is the singer Bono. Her first major role was in the 2011 drama film This Must Be the Place, and she made her television debut as Nurse Lucy Elkins in the 2014 Steven Soderbergh series The Knick. She has appeared in films such as Blood Ties (2013), Bridge of Spies (2015), and Robin Hood (2018). In 2020, she starred in the miniseries The Luminaries. In 2021 she starred as Adele in the Netflix miniseries Behind Her Eyes, then in 2022 she played Becka in the Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Bobb</span> American actor

Jeremy Bobb is an American actor who has appeared on stage, television and in feature films. He had a recurring role in CBS's 2013 drama Hostages as White House Chief of Staff Quintin Creasy and co-starred as Herman Barrow in the Cinemax TV series The Knick. In 2014, he played Stevie in the crime-drama film The Drop. In 2019, Bobb appeared in the Netflix series Russian Doll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Sullivan (actor)</span> American television actor

Chris Sullivan is an American actor and musician. He starred on the NBC drama This Is Us, as Toby Damon, for which he received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

Michael Sugar is an American film and television producer and principal at Sugar23, best known for producing Spotlight, 13 Reasons Why, Maniac and The Knick.

Mosaic is a 2017 murder mystery by Steven Soderbergh, producer Casey Silver, and writer Ed Solomon, published via HBO. It was released in two forms: as an iOS/Android mobile app and as a 2018 television drama. The app works like an interactive film; while the user cannot affect the plot, they can choose from which perspective the same plot is viewed, and learn different facets of it. Users can also investigate on their own time background documents, emails, news clippings, voice mails, police reports, and the like in a "Discoveries" option.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Amiel</span> American screenwriter

Jack Amiel is an American TV writer, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for co-creating Cinemax's period medical drama The Knick, and for writing the films Raising Helen (2004), The Shaggy Dog (2006) and Big Miracle (2012), all with writing partner Michael Begler.

<i>Perry Mason</i> (2020 TV series) 2020 American drama television series

Perry Mason is an American period drama television series created by Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald for HBO. It is based on the character of the same name by Erle Stanley Gardner. The series stars Matthew Rhys in the title role and premiered on June 21, 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 "Interview: The Knick Creators Amiel and Begler".
  2. 1 2 "Jack Amiel & Michael Begler Biography". madeinatlantis.com. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  3. Travers, Ben (2014-08-06). "'The Knick' Creators on How They Went From Writing Studio Rom-Coms to Steven Soderbergh's New TV Show". IndieWire. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  4. hercules. "THE KNICK!!
    What Make The Critics Of Steven Soderbergh's THE KNICK??"
    . Aint It Cool News. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  5. Foundas, Scott (2004-03-28). "The Prince & Me". Variety. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  6. 1 2 "THE KNICK Showrunners Jack Amiel and Michael Begler on Bringing Their Show to Life | Nerdist". Nerdist. 2014-08-07. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  7. "The Shaggy Dog | Film Review | Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  8. Fleming, Mike Jr. (2013-05-23). "Steven Soderbergh Will Interrupt Retirement To Direct And Produce Cinemax Series 'The Knick' With Clive Owen Starring". Deadline. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  9. "Cinemax Gives Steven Soderbergh's 'The Knick' Early Season 2 Renewal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  10. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (April 23, 2021). "Jack Amiel & Michael Begler Ink Big Overall Deal With HBO, Join 'Perry Mason' As Showrunners; Ron Fitzgerald & Rolin Jones Exit". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved April 23, 2021.